City still 'alive' but need Arsenal slip: Guardiola

Pep Guardiola said all Manchester City can do is stay alive and hope for an Arsenal slip-up in the Premier League title race after a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush both struck from Phil Foden passes in the first half at the Etihad before Savinho added a late third to lift City two points behind leaders Arsenal.

With two games remaining for both challengers, City still have a chance of securing a seventh league crown in nine years.

Guardiola, who made multiple changes to his starting line-up, said his team had to work hard to break down a hard-working Palace team, who face Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final later this month.

Now the City boss turns his attention to Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley against Chelsea.

“We try to be alive until the next (Premier League) game, which is Bournemouth,” he told Sky Sports. “Now focus on the final.”

The City boss said the title was firmly in the hands of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, chasing their first Premier League crown since 2004.

If the Gunners overcome relegated Burnley next Monday, City must beat Bournemouth, who are chasing Champions League qualification, the following day, to keep the title race alive.

“Depends on them (Arsenal),” he told the BBC. “If they win two games, nothing to do, nothing to talk. All we can be is in there just in case. The last two games are tough.”

Guardiola, whose team have lost the past two FA Cup finals, is chasing a domestic cup double after City lifted the League Cup earlier this season.

“All we can do is go to sleep as quickly as possible and prepare for the FA Cup,” he said. “That is what we have to do.

“The FA Cup, incredible respect. We lost the last two times because we were not good enough.

“We are going to go there to win. We have to be ready physically and mentally against a team who are not in the best season, but the quality is there. Of course, they will do their best, and we have to do our best to try to win.”