Pep names best team in world - and it's not Man City

Yet while Guardiola accepts his out-of-form side now have their work cut out to catch the team run by his old assistant Mikel Arteta, he remains hopeful.

"They are the best team in the world - look at the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao (League) Cup," the Spaniard said on Friday.

"They are the best team right now and hopefully we can be close, get better and better, and they can give us one chance to catch them."

Guardiola was speaking ahead of his side's clash with the Premier League's bottom side Wolves on Saturday, when City will have the chance to cut the gap to four points.

Arsenal are in action on Sunday when they host Manchester United.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was more modest in his assessment of his team when asked about Guardiola's comments at his own press conference.

"I don't know. We are the team that wants to be constantly better. We are doing a lot of things right but we are far from perfect," shrugged Arteta.

"But obviously best team in the world is a big word especially because, in my opinion to be related to that, you have to win a lot of things - and we haven't.

"But we certainly have the purpose to be the best version of ourselves that we can be every single day, and we are not going to stop until we achieve that."

Arsenal have capitalised on City's miserable start to 2026 to take firm control of the title race.

City have not won in four and were comprehensively beaten by arch-rivals United at Old Trafford last week.

Their woes were then compounded as they crashed to a shock Champions League loss at Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt in midweek.

These results have come amid an injury crisis, with the defence particularly affected, but new signing Marc Guehi will make his debut against Wolves at the Etihad Stadium.

The England centre-back joined City in a Stg 20million ($A40 million) move from Crystal Palace earlier in the week.