• Pep warns Arsenal will be tough to catch in the Premier League title race.
• Manchester City can close gap to five points if they win at Chelsea.
• Gunners could have gone 10 points clear but drew 0-0 at home.

Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has cautioned that it will be difficult to catch Arsenal in the fight for the Premier League championship and that winning by 100 points may be necessary.

The champions could have been overtaken by 10 points on Tuesday, but Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were held to a scoreless draw by Newcastle United at home.

In order to win a sixth championship in as many years, City, who were held by Everton on New Year’s Eve, must defeat Chelsea on Thursday. According to Guardiola, his team cannot afford many more blunders.

“The way you have to reduce the gap is play good and win games,” Guardiola told a news conference on Wednesday. “It’s not for the fact. (Arsenal) have an average that they will do more than 100 points the way they have done so far.

“If they continue in that way, we will not catch them. We have to be almost perfect from here and hope they drop their performance — yesterday they were excellent against Newcastle — and see what happens.”

City is in second place with 36 points from 16 games, two points behind Arsenal, who are both vying for their first championship since 2004. Most people would have anticipated Chelsea to be involved in the race for the championship, but City travel to Stamford Bridge with Graham Potter’s team wallowing in 10th place.

But Guardiola anticipates another difficult fight.

The Spaniard responded when asked about Chelsea’s difficulties, “It’s the Premier League, everyone is tough. That is why when asked about the forecasts at the beginning of the season, I always say that I am unsure. Nobody is aware.

“We will see what happens, after the World Cup many things are going to happen. It doesn’t matter the position you are when you travel (to Chelsea), it’s always difficult.”

Guardiola said he will decide late on whether defender Aymeric Laporte will be able to face Chelsea but central defender Ruben Dias will not be available.

“Ruben is out. Aymer (Laporte), we will see today at the training session,” Guardiola said.

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