Ruben Dias issues blunt warning to Arsenal as secret Pep Guardiola plan revealed

Manchester City invited erstwhile Premier League rubric rivals Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium connected Sunday day successful what already looks to beryllium a cardinal clash successful the contention for the title

Ruben Dias has warned Arsenal that Manchester City “will beryllium ready” for them erstwhile the 2 rubric rivals conscionable connected Sunday.

City defender Dias said Pep Guardiola 's broadside are not “running away” oregon “hiding” from specified a large crippled aboriginal successful the play and tin grip whatever Mikel Arteta's broadside bring to the Etihad Stadium. Arsenal parked the autobus the past clip they came to the Etihad, backmost successful March, earning a creditable 0-0 draw, though City went connected to triumph the rubric by 2 points from the Gunners.

Arteta is expected to acceptable his broadside up successful a akin mode connected Sunday, to thwart and frustrate City and anticipation to deed them connected the break, conscionable arsenic Inter Milan did successful Wednesday's 0-0 Champions League draw. Whatever Arsenal - presently 2nd successful the array down City – determine to do, Dias said Guardiola and his players volition beryllium acceptable arsenic they look to support their 100 per cent commencement to the season.

“There's nary moving distant from them, hiding from them,” said Dias. “If you privation to beryllium the champion arsenic a team, individually, successful this league.

“We're not hiding from nothing. We privation them to travel and we privation to beryllium the best. We'll spot what they'll do. Whatever they determine to do, we'll beryllium ready.

“I would say, looking astatine the past fewer years, Arsenal and Liverpool person been the main opponents. But you ne'er know, arsenic each play is simply a caller season. We decidedly cognize that Arsenal is simply a contender and, arsenic such, they merit our respect.

“The play has conscionable started and I'd accidental we're inactive acold from our best. We're inactive progressing, successful presumption of the prime of our play, successful mentality, successful everything.”.

City defender Josko Gvardiol echoed team-mate Dias and revealed Guardiola volition devise 2 oregon 3 ways for the squad to play, depending connected however Arsenal acceptable up. Asked what City are expecting from Arsenal, Gvardiol said: “I cannot archer you, I truly don't cognize however they volition play. We request to hole successful 2 oregon 3 ways, conscionable to beryllium sure.

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“The bully happening is we play astatine home. We'll person our supporters and ever the derbies [big games] are pugnacious games to play. We inactive person a fewer days to prepare.”

Gvardiol besides joined calls from team-mates Rodri and Manuel Akanji to easiness the fixture load connected players, with truthful galore further games to play this season, successful peculiar with caller Champions League format.

“I'm a precise large instrumentality of the caller format,” said Gvardiol. “Of course, I would beryllium happier if I could get immoderate much days off, but it is what it is.

“Whatever I say, they're not going to alteration anything. I would beryllium happier with much days off, particularly for my different team-mates. I'm inactive young and fresh, they are the ones who astir apt request a rest. But I'm no-one to determine oregon alteration anything.”

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