"The championship depends on Arsenal", Guardiola stated following Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace on 13/5. "If they win both their remaining matches, there's nothing more we can do. Our focus is to be prepared to capitalize if they falter. The final two games will be challenging for all contenders".

The rescheduled match victory saw Manchester City close the gap on league leaders Arsenal to two points, with both teams having two Premier League fixtures remaining. However, Pep Guardiola's squad faces a challenging schedule. They will compete against Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley next saturday, before Premier League clashes with Bournemouth and Aston Villa, both vying for European qualification.

Coach Guardiola during Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace in a rescheduled round 31 Premier League match at Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England on 13/5/2026. Photo: AP

Guardiola acknowledged that fatigue is impacting his players. "Our priority now is to rest as much as possible and prepare for the FA Cup final", he added. "However, the challenge extends beyond the final; three days later, we face Bournemouth. The travel to London and then players returning home to their families adds to the exhaustion".

For the Crystal Palace match, Guardiola made six changes to the starting lineup, notably keeping top scorer Erling Haaland, with 26 goals this season, on the bench for the full 90 minutes. High-performing attackers Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki also saw limited playing time. With three matches left in the season, Guardiola confirmed he will continue to rotate the squad.

"I have complete faith in the entire squad", Guardiola affirmed. "A loss today would have ended our title hopes, but this victory keeps us in contention for the final round. Our next opponent, Bournemouth, is a quality team, as their current form demonstrates. Following that, Unai Emery's Aston Villa will present another difficult challenge".

The Premier League title race could conclude this weekend. If Manchester City fails to defeat Bournemouth and Arsenal secures a victory against already-relegated Burnley, Mikel Arteta's team would clinch the title one round early. Should both teams win their round 37 fixtures, the championship would then be decided on the final matchday, featuring Crystal Palace versus Arsenal and Manchester City against Aston Villa.

"I cannot ask for more from my players", Guardiola remarked. "We will go to Wembley aiming to defeat Chelsea. The entire squad must be physically and mentally prepared against a team that, despite not having its best season, still possesses significant quality. They will give their all, and we must match that effort to secure the victory".

Vy Anh