Manchester City assistant coach Kolo Toure has offered high praise to his former club Arsenal and their manager, Mikel Arteta, recognizing their strength as key rivals in the Premier League title race.
Toure, who enjoyed successful playing spells at both Arsenal and Manchester City, stepped in to address the media ahead of City’s Premier League tie against Crystal Palace on Saturday, after manager Pep Guardiola pulled out of the press conference at the last minute due to a personal matter.
Speaking about the quality of the competition at the top of the table, the Ivorian coach stated:
“We know the quality of Arsenal. They’ve a really strong squad, a fantastic manager. “But it is all down to us. We have the best manager in the world, he is doing an incredible job every day. “We just focus on what we can do, really not on what Arsenal are doing. Every game is like a final for us.”
Toure’s comments acknowledge the serious challenge Arsenal poses this season, but he quickly pivoted to underline the confidence in the Manchester City camp and the leadership of Guardiola.
The assistant coach confirmed that Guardiola is fine, stating, “It’s just a small matter that didn’t bring him here,” and that the Spanish manager is fully expected to be in the dugout for the match against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
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