Guardiola says Man City need changes after Arsenal realisation

Eight days since Arsenal had the opportunity to move 12 points clear at the top of the table, City reduced the deficit to three after victories over Chelsea and the leaders - and have a game in hand to help their momentum. Owing to their FA Cup semi-final against Southampton next weekend, they play in midweek in the league.

That is an opportunity for the Blues but also a move back to two games a week. Guardiola would rather have been in the Champions League, but used Erling Haaland's duels with the Arsenal defenders to point out how City have benefitted from only playing twice in the last fortnight.

City were unchanged from their win over Chelsea and their first change was not until the 85th minute against Arsenal as the same players came through in two big games. However, with Rodri potentially injured with a groin issue and the games starting to come thick and fast again, Guardiola is clear that they need other players to step up.

"He knows it's not the first time he has dealt with Gabriel and [William] Saliba but playing every three days for November, December, January, February - sustaining that with his body is not easy," said Guardiola.

"Bernardo can do it but now he is a bit more sharp because we have had long weeks, he has to rest two or three days, proper training and arrive fresh here and here.

"I knew it but I realised that it's another competition for teams who play in Europe and the teams who play in one competition. It's another history, it's another game. The big clubs have better players, more squads, better financially but when you arrive with seven days to play and three days, three days, three days, it's another game. I realised now in these last weeks.

"In these last games I played more or less the starting XI because we had six, seven, eight days between games. But now we go to Burnley and then London to play Southampton and these guys cannot play all the time. If you are a good team, we can do it together."