Arsenal Are Best Team in the League, Says Guardiola

Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Aston Villa - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - February 12, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Aston Villa - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - February 12, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. (Reuters)
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Arsenal Are Best Team in the League, Says Guardiola

Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Aston Villa - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - February 12, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Aston Villa - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - February 12, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. (Reuters)

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said that Arsenal are the best team in the Premier League as he prepares his side for their trip to the Emirates in Wednesday's top-of-the-table clash.

City, second in the standings and three points behind leaders Arsenal with one more game played, will be hoping to close in on the top spot after they recovered from their recent slump to stroll past Aston Villa with a 3-1 victory on Sunday.

Title holders City will find inspiration from last month's FA Cup victory over the London club, which they won 1-0 at home.

"So far, they are the best team in the Premier League," Guardiola told a news conference on Tuesday.

"We felt it a couple of weeks ago (in the FA Cup). The commitment, they are sharp. It will be a big, big battle. You have to be ready.

"I do not truly believe one week ago we are out of form and now we're back in form. Every game is different, you can play good and win and everything is perfect but tomorrow you could lose. Tomorrow is an important one, everyone knows it, and we'll try to do our best."

Guardiola also rejected claims that Sunday's win has provided his side with a renewed spirit, highlighting how the togetherness in his team is not swayed by results.

The Spaniard added: "After (the) Arsenal (victory) there was this togetherness, they are incredible human beings. I have no complaints. Everyone makes mistakes, me first.

"The mood is good, really, really good for many years. Many things happen, (such as) success, (but) sometimes little things must be adjusted to understand things differently.

"We are delighted to be together not because we win against Villa or lose against Spurs (Tottenham Hotspur)."



Verstappen Snatches 'Insane' Pole for Japan GP in Track Record

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 5, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Manami Yamada
Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 5, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Manami Yamada
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Verstappen Snatches 'Insane' Pole for Japan GP in Track Record

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 5, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Manami Yamada
Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 5, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Manami Yamada

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen smashed the track record to snatch pole position for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris, as Yuki Tsunoda qualified a lowly 15th in his Red Bull debut.

Verstappen clocked a blistering lap of 1min 26.983sec in his Red Bull, 0.012sec ahead of championship leader Norris, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri third.

Verstappen set a new Suzuka track record with his final lap in Saturday's qualifying, pipping Norris right at the death.

"Each session we kept making little improvements, then the last lap was flat out," said Verstappen, who has won the Japanese GP for the last three years.

"In a Formula One car around here is insane. This is a proper highlight for us to be back on pole here."

It was Verstappen's first pole position of the season, AFP reported.

The Dutchman is still looking for his first grand prix win of the new campaign.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli sixth and RB's Isack Hadjar seventh.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton was eighth, followed by Williams's Alex Albon and Haas's Oliver Bearman.

Norris is looking for his second grand prix win of the season, after triumphing in the season opener in Australia.

He finished second behind Piastri in China a fortnight ago in a dominant start to the campaign for McLaren.

"I'm happy, congrats to Max, he did a good job," said Norris.

"You have to credit something when it is a lap that good that he must have done. I got everything out of the car today, the gaps are tiny.

"Good but not enough."

Tsunoda was eliminated in Q2 in a disappointing first qualifying drive for Red Bull after being promoted in place of Liam Lawson last week.

The Japanese driver finished one place behind Lawson, who returned to RB after just two races for Red Bull in a ruthless driver swap.