For City, they have shown significantly more skill than other teams this season, having gone unbeaten in 11 consecutive matches in all competitions and beating their opponents in 10 of them. Whether in the league, in the Champions League, or even in second-tier events like the FA Cup, Manchester City have been soaring all the way. However, in the past period, there have been clear signs of recovery in the form of rivals such as Chelsea, which has made Guardiola and his players feel some pressure in the league to a greater or lesser extent.
In the league table, Manchester City have won 19 of their 24 games with three points and a 79.2% win rate, far ahead of other teams. Aside from Manchester City, the team with the highest winning percentage in the league is Liverpool, whose 65.2% win rate is more than 10 percentage points lower than Manchester City's. In addition, City have suffered only two defeats this season, one of the fewest goals conceded in the league. This season, Guardiola's side have won 60 league points, with an advantage of nine in the table. Judging by the excellent stability that Manchester City have shown, as long as they do not make major mistakes themselves, it is very difficult for other teams to catch up with or even surpass them in the table. In the Champions League, Manchester City's opponents in the first round of the knockout round are also very ideal, they have a very clear advantage in strength, and there is a great hope of reaching the quarterfinals without bloodshed.
In terms of team performance, although City's squad is uneven in several positions, Guardiola's adjustment is undoubtedly a world-class level. For example, in the use of Jesus. Objectively speaking, after coming to the team, Jesus, who was originally a center forward, seemed to have slipped in front of goal, and he lost some of his spirituality as a striker. This directly affected his goal efficiency. However, Jesus' strengths in terms of game attitude, defensive contribution and interspersed running position are becoming more prominent. This season, Guardiola has duly placed the Brazilian attacker in the winger position, with unexpected results. He has made 23 appearances in the league and Champions League, most of the time as a winger, and has completed five goals and eight assists, and has done quite well. On the defensive end, Jesus spared no effort to press high, which also significantly reduced the defensive pressure in the midfield. In addition, his hard-working personality is also admired by Guardiola.
Another winger, Sterling, also proved with his performances that he deserved a place in the team. At the beginning of the season, Sterling was at a disadvantage in the competition with Glallish, which gave many teams the hope of signing him. However, Guardiola never gave up on the England international, and with Glallish in poor form and off-field factors, Sterling re-emerged as the starter in Guardiola's squad. Judging from the performance on the field, in addition to the fact that it is still unsatisfactory in terms of shooting efficiency, in other aspects, Sterling's tactical role in the team is very obvious. Especially when it comes to running without the ball and breaking through with the ball, Sterling has the top level in the league. His value in the transfer market is still 85 million euros, and his contract with the team is still more than a year away. Under such performances, the possibility of the team choosing to renew its contract is very large.
Compared to Jesus and Sterling, Mahrez has played even better in the past period. He has scored in five consecutive league games. This season, Mahrez is not an absolute mainstay of the team, making 17 appearances in the league and making nine starts. But his efficiency is very good, he has contributed 7 goals and 4 assists, a total of 11 goals, the player with the largest number of goals in the team. Like Sterling, Mahrez's contract with the team expires just over a year later. His current salary package is £120,000 a week and he hopes to get a raise by some margin. Although Mahrez is 30 years old, his technical characteristics of excellent technique and more rhythmic attention are not the same as those of players such as Sterling, who are known for their speed, so his age has a slightly less impact on his competitive state, and he is still the top attacker in the league. According to the Mirror, Manchester City intend to deal with Mahrez's contract extension after the end of the season, which may lead to the team's "painful loss of the big man". Paris Saint-Germain are interested in the €40 million winger and want to sign him at the end of the season.
In addition, on the Arsenal side, they have been in good shape this season, making steady progress towards their goal of top four. In the midfield position, the team has been lacking a "metronome" who can read the game well and can comb the team's attack. It is reported that a Belgium international has entered arsenal's field of reinforcements, he is Leicester City midfielder Tillemans. As one of the most capable midfielders in the Premier League, Tillemans has received a lot of attention from teams. If Arsenal want to successfully sign him, they need to speed up the pace of transfer operations. (The picture comes from the Internet, if there is infringement, please contact to delete)