Pep Guardiola's seven-word message to Arsenal star ramps up Man City tensions

Manchester City and Arsenal repeated clashed during their 2-2 gully astatine the Etihad earlier this period and Pep Guardiola has present declared "war", claiming his broadside person been provoked by their rivals

Pep Guardiola has warned Arsenal they person provoked Manchester City into a "war" pursuing their ill-tempered 2-2 draw.

City and Arsenal shared the spoils erstwhile they clashed astatine the Etihad earlier this month, with a precocious John Stones extremity rescuing a constituent for the defending champions aft Leandro Trossard was sent disconnected successful the first-half.

Erling Haaland celebrated the extremity by throwing the shot astatine the caput of Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes and it was one of respective flashpoints successful the game. When asked astir his clash with Haaland aft the match, Gabriel said: "It's normal, they were blessed aft scoring successful the past minute.

"They were playing astatine home, truthful their work was to triumph the match, but our squad did truly good to resist. It's a battle, a war, truthful it's mean to person provocative acts successful football, it's portion of the game. Now this is implicit and we are waiting for them astatine our ground."

And Guardiola has present responded to Gabriel's comments, declaring: "You privation a war? Now we war." The City brag told reporters connected Friday: "I would accidental that sometimes the emotions are truthful there.

"Gabriel said it perfectly aft the match, truthful this is simply a war, we are present to provoke the opponent, to propulsion them. At the extremity what tin you do? OK, you provoke maine – I'm there. You privation a war? Now we war.

"What bash I person to do? And after, the emotions are the emotions. I'm beauteous definite he's (Haaland) not proud, but perceive – the benignant of situation that Arsenal challenges, I recognize it."

Guardiola besides responded to comments from Arsenal brag Mikel Arteta, who claimed: "I was determination for 4 years. I person each the information." When asked astir Arteta's statement, Guardiola deed back: "Next clip helium has to beryllium much wide precisely what does helium mean.

"He said helium was present 4 years and we cognize precisely what happened here. It tin beryllium related successful each the process present with 115 charges, possibly it’s astir that. He knows accusation astir that maybe, oregon possibly helium has thing like… I don't know.

"OK, adjacent time, similar a bully narration I person with him, hopefully this question has been asked. He tin reply precisely what does it mean erstwhile helium said helium was present and I cognize what's happening here, and alternatively of being successful the clouds determination (points upward) to beryllium much precise."

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