MANCHESTER City boss Pep Guardiola says his side will have to be “almost perfect” to catch Premier League leaders Arsenal in the title race.
City can reduce the gap to five points with victory over Chelsea on Thursday after Arsenal were held by Newcastle.
Guardiola said: “The way to reduce the gap is playing good and winning games.
“They (Arsenal) are going to do 100 or more points the way they have gone so far. If they continue this way, we will not catch them.”
City are second in the table, eight points behind Arsenal with a game in hand.
Speaking before the trip to Stamford Bridge, Guardiola added: “We have to be almost perfect I would say, from here to the end of the season – and hope they drop a little bit in their performance, because yesterday [against Newcastle] they were excellent.
Chelsea are 10th in the table having won just one of their last seven Premier League games, but Guardiola expects a difficult night for his side.
It is the first of two meetings with Graham Potter’s side as an FA Cup third-round tie at the Etihad follows on Sunday.
Chelsea vs Manchester City – 9pm
