Arsenal Getting Better Every Season —Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has said Arsenal are getting better and better every season describing the London club as Manchester City’s biggest rivals in the past two seasons.

City will host Mikel Arteta’s Gunners at the Etihad on Sunday, hoping to go five points clear over their rivals.

Although they finished above them, City failed to beat Arsenal last term, losing 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium, drawing 0-0 in Manchester and suffering a penalty shoot-out defeat in the Community Shield.

“It’s always been a tight game in the last few years,” Guardiola said. “They do many good things. They’re a complete team, which is why they’ve been our biggest rivals in the last two seasons.

“Every season they are better and better. Both years have been close, but we have been so strong and we are still strong.”

Guardiola insisted that it is far too early in the season for the result to be regarded as significant no matter who wins.

“In this early stage of the season, nothing more than the mood over the next few games will be decided. In terms of the table it’s not really important,” he said.

“It’ll be more important when we go to London in the second half of the season.”