Pep Guardiola claims the hunger shown by his Manchester City players so far this season has amazed him.
After the draining end to the treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, there were fears City could be off the pace come the start of the new term.
Any drop in energy levels, however, seems to have been more than compensated for by a strong desire and focus, even after the loss of key players.
On Saturday, City followed up their European Super Cup triumph over Sevilla in Athens three days previously by beating Newcastle to maintain their winning start in the Premier League.
“We are who we are,” said City manager Guardiola. “(There are) a lot of young players on the bench and that’s the difference – the guys who want to be here are here. The difference is always here (heart) – at the top of our bodies.
“The people respond because they see still we are there and I like it. We won already one title and we are six points from six, we’ve scored goals we don’t concede many chances.
“When you see that after what we have done, what can you say? Apart from thank you my friends, I love you so much.
“When you have that it is because a team is so special. Otherwise we cannot do what we have done for many years, it’s impossible. Saturday amazed me and made me happy.”
City have lost influential playmaker Kevin De Bruyne to an injury that could sideline him for up to five months while John Stones and Bernardo Silva were also absent at the weekend.
With Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez having left over the summer, and Aymeric Laporte another possible departure, Guardiola’s squad is taking on a different shape.
Guardiola said: “Over the next one or two months the club have to take some important decisions with the squad. We didn’t expect (the situation) with Kevin and we didn’t expect with Riyad.”
Havertz will be Tottenham's 'biggest fan' against Manchester City
Kai Havertz joked he will be Tottenham's "biggest fan" as Arsenal look for a helping hand from their fierce rivals when they take on Manchester City.
Arsenal defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday through a first-half Leandro Trossard tap-in that was nicely assisted by Havertz.
That victory lifted the Gunners one point above City, who have an inferior goal difference of three and play their game in hand at Tottenham on Tuesday.
Pep Guardiola's side still have the title in their hands, but dropped points in North London will change that heading into the final round of fixtures, with Arsenal hosting Everton and City at home to West Ham.
Asked by Sky Sports if he is going to back Spurs for the victory against City, Havertz laughed and said: "I am going to be the biggest fan of Tottenham ever. Let's hope for the best."
Arsenal's victory at Old Trafford was their 27th in the Premier League this season - only in 1970-71 (29) and 1930-31 (28) have they won more in a single top-flight campaign.
Mikel Arteta's men could reach 89 points with victory over an Everton side with nothing to play for, yet that may still not be enough if City win both remaining fixtures.
Regardless of the result at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Premier League title race will still go down to the final weekend.
"We have one game and we need the whole club behind us - anything is possible," Havertz said.
"We prepared for the game very well, we didn’t have our best game but we needed the three points and we have it now so we can be happy.
"We have to win every single game as City are always keeping the pressure on. It is so nice to be in the [title] race and every week you have to play at your best."
Havertz kept up his impressive form by setting up the only goal for Trossard, who has put Arsenal 1-0 up with three of the last four goals he has netted.
An out-of-sorts United side offered little in an attacking sense, a few David Raya saves from distance aside, in what was a deserved victory for the visitors.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Trossard said: "Man Utd are still a good team and they can hurt you in different ways so credit to the boys - we defended really well.
"Obviously we only have one objective to win the league. We have done our job today and it will be up to the last game and that is what we are aiming for.
"Hopefully next week we can celebrate something - you never know, it could be. We can only hope. We have done our job and that is the only thing we could have done."
Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal: Gunners keep title pressure on Man City with Old Trafford triumph
Arsenal regained top spot from Manchester City heading into the final week of the Premier League season with a 1-0 win at Manchester United on Sunday.
Leandro Trossard scored the decisive goal at Old Trafford with 20 minutes on the clock as Kai Havertz profited from an intercepted Andre Onana pass to tee up the Belgian's simple finish.
The Gunners move one point clear of City, who thrashed Fulham 4-0 on Saturday and still have a game in hand at Arsenal's fierce rivals Tottenham on Tuesday, meaning the title remains in the hands of Pep Guardiola's side.
City then host West Ham on the final day, while Arsenal are at home to Everton.
United, beaten 4-0 by Crystal Palace on Monday and now with just one win in their last eight in the competition, stay eighth in the table and are three points off Chelsea and Newcastle United directly above them with a game to go.
Arsenal did not have any true sights of goal in an evenly contested opening, with United looking more coherent than in recent weeks, until the visitors' breakthrough arrived through Trossard.
Onana's pass was cut out on the halfway line and played to Havertz, who was kept onside by Casemiro failing to get up the pitch, and the German squared for Trossard to convert from point-blank range.
The Gunners, who failed to win on the two other previous occasions they had led at half-time at Old Trafford, were happy to sit back after the restart and invite United onto them.
Casemiro was invited to shoot from distance and did just that, forcing a save from David Raya, who then denied Antony's poor attempt from a similar position.
But there was to be no way through for United, who had Onana to thank for late saves to deny Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice, as the visitors completed a league double in this fixture for the first time since 2006-07.
United continue to concede
Trossard's goal, which came despite United having four players back in a position to intercept Havertz's pass, makes it 82 goals conceded for the Red Devils across all competitions this season – the most they have shipped in a single season since 1970-71 (also 82).
Erik ten Hag's men were ultimately unable to hit back and have therefore now suffered 19 losses across all competitions this term, which is their most since 1977-78 (also 19).
This is also just the third time in Premier League history they have lost at home to three sides from the capital in a single season, having previously fallen to Crystal Palace and Fulham.
Havertz and Trossard stepping up
Trossard has more than played his part in Arsenal's title pursuit, with this his 12th league goal of the season. Three of his last four have put the Gunners 1-0 up, showing just how important he has been.
That crucial breakthrough goal was assisted by Havertz, who has scored and assisted a combined 14 goals in the Premier League since the start of 2024 – already surpassing his previous highest tally in a single year in the competition with Chelsea in 2022 (13).
Indeed, only Chelsea's Cole Palmer with 19 can boast more direct goal involvements than the Germany international this calendar year among all Premier League players.
Atletico Madrid 1-0 Celta Vigo: De Paul stunner keeps Simeone's side on course for Champions League
Rodrigo De Paul scored a brilliant late goal to snatch a 1-0 home victory for Atletico Madrid against relegation-threatened Celta Vigo, as they consolidated fourth spot in LaLiga on Sunday.
The Argentina midfielder controlled a clearance from a corner just outside the box before unleashing a breathtaking shot into the top-right corner with just six minutes remaining.
The win leaves Atletico with 70 points from 35 games – eight points ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao – while Celta are 16th with 34 points, five points above the drop zone.
Diego Simeone's hosts had launched a late offensive effort but remarkable saves from Celta goalkeeper Vicente Guaita kept them at bay until De Paul's stunner clinched three points.
Atletico can secure a spot in the Champions League next season with victory away at Getafe on Wednesday.
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