Pep Guardiola has laid out a clear read of the Premier League landscape, saying he expects Arsenal and Liverpool to concede very few points this season and urging Manchester City to remain within striking distance.

Arsenal sit top after dropping points in just two of their opening eight games, those setbacks being a 1–0 defeat to Liverpool and a 1–1 draw with City. Guardiola suggested the title race may return to the high standards of recent seasons after a summer of heavy investment across the division.

“In the Premier League, I have the feeling now that Arsenal is not going to drop much points. So that is the reality. I have that feeling with Arsenal, with Liverpool as well,” the City manager told assembled media ahead of his side’s trip to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Guardiola defended Liverpool despite recent results. “Now Liverpool lost their last games—not in the Champions League in Frankfurt—but I saw the game against [Manchester] United, they had incredible chances to win the game,” he said.

“So I think Liverpool remain one of the main favourites to do that. And the distance, three, four points at this stage is nothing.

“I always had the feeling that both teams and maybe another one, they will lose few, few points. That’s why we have to be there.”

The “another one” he referenced appears to have been Chelsea, who lost 2–1 to newly promoted Sunderland.

Guardiola mixed sarcasm with resolve when asked about City’s own title hopes, reflecting on the early results. “Well, in the first two games, three games, yeah for sure we [City] are out,” he sniffed. “And Liverpool is already done, and now it looks like Liverpool is done.”

He added a firmer note of intent shortly after. “And I’ll tell you that they will be back.”

The six-time Premier League champion also addressed his critics directly. “I’ve said many times, I know all the pundits, all the specialists or former players, they know everything that is going to happen after five games, I’m not able to do that. So, always I wait for 10, 15 games to know exactly what is going on. ]

Andy Robertson delivered a blunt assessment after Liverpool’s 3–2 defeat to Brentford, arguing the side failed to follow the game plan and did not show the necessary fight. Milos Kerkez reduced the deficit for Liverpool, but Brentford held a two-goal cushion before Igor Thiago converted a 60th-minute penalty. Mohamed Salah’s late goal proved only a consolation.

Robertson said the team were simply “not good enough.” He singled out defending from set plays and the battle for second balls as decisive weaknesses. “We didn’t do enough off the ball,” Robertson fumed. “They’re always going to be ready to put bodies in the box when it comes to set pieces, put the balls in behind, pick up second balls. You know what you’re going to come to, here. They’re always the same and they’re so good at it.

“It felt to me like we were just a yard off it in terms of that. They picked up so many second balls, and then the balls in behind.”

The opening Brentford goal came from a Michael Kayode long throw, and Ouattara’s swipe was the sixth set-piece goal Liverpool have conceded this season. Only West Ham United have shipped more set-piece goals.

Robertson continued to emphasise tactical preparation and work-rate, noting Arne Slot had focused on long throws in training: “the only thing we did yesterday on the training pitch.” He warned that opposing teams always have a plan and highlighted Liverpool’s failure to impose their own. “We didn’t play ours at all. That makes it so difficult.”

He also called for greater physical commitment: “You have to fight for the control, you have to fight first of all,” he warned. “You have to fight for the second balls, fight for the first balls, and try and feel your way into the game. And then the quality will come through.”

With a congested schedule ahead, Robertson stressed the response must be practical. “We’ve got to work harder. In training, in games, recovering better. When you’re at this football club, people demand results. In a difficult moment, the only way to get out of it is to work even harder, run that bit more and look after yourself that bit better. And that’s what we’ve got to do.”

“There’s no time to re-group,” the fullback fretted. “We’ve got games, games, games. Sometimes it can be a good thing that you’ve got such a quick turnaround and we can go again.”

Bryan Mbeumo says a rise in work rate and collective effort has fuelled Manchester United’s recent run of form. The summer signing highlighted the team’s training ground focus after a 4–2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, a result that moved United up to fourth in the Premier League table.

“We all put a lot of work in training, that’s the most important thing,” he reflected. “What we do out there we try to repeat on the pitch. We are going to try to understand each other even better.” Mbeumo underlined the importance of consistency in practice translating into performances on matchday.

Asked what has changed in the past three games, Mbeumo added: “The work we put in, the effort, the togetherness is the key. We try to stick to the plan and try to play as best as possible.

“I like the challenges, I came here to a big club and I want to fight for the best places.”

The victory over Brighton formed part of a three-game winning sequence that included a 2–1 triumph over Liverpool. While that Liverpool win was described as the most glamorous of the run, manager Amorim argued the 4–2 result represented the more complete display.

“I have that feeling,” Amorim said. “I think [it] was a more complete performance.

“You can say whatever you want to say against Liverpool, but they didn’t deserve to lose that game. We deserve to win, but they didn’t deserve to lose.

“I think today, we did a little bit of everything. We had the ball, create chances, we defend high, we defend low. So, when it’s more complete, it’s not a statement, but I feel more complete also as a manager. So today… I think I like today more than last weekend.”

Those comments frame a simple message from United: repetition in training, collective effort and tactical discipline have driven the club up the table during this short winning sequence.