Tijjani Reijnders cautions Arsenal: Manchester City is ‘pursuing’ the Premier League championship.
Tijjani Reijnders has cautioned Arsenal that Manchester City is still very much “on the hunt” for the Premier League championship.
City has intensified the pressure on the Gunners over the past week by reducing their lead at the top of the standings to four points following wins against Liverpool and Fulham.
Pep Guardiola’s team also advanced in the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over League Two’s Salford on Saturday, maintaining their momentum across various competitions.
Reijnders remarked: “The atmosphere has been positive, but it was also good previously. Naturally, we’ve dropped some points, but the situation is favorable and we are pursuing our goals and continuing our efforts.
“We have to see how things unfold, but if we maintain this form, who knows what could happen?”
City had previously overwhelmed Salford 8-0 in their third-round meeting last year, but their recent clash at the Etihad Stadium was a much quieter contest.
City took the lead in the fourth-round match following an own goal by Alfie Dorrington in the sixth minute and did not exert themselves significantly thereafter.
This allowed Salford to find their footing, with former Liverpool midfielder Ben Woodburn and Brandon Cooper both coming close to leveling the score before halftime, but City remained composed.
Marc Guéhi — who was part of the Crystal Palace team eliminated by Macclesfield last month — came off the bench to secure the win with his first goal for the club late in the match.
Reijnders played the entire 90 minutes after being included as one of nine changes made by Guardiola.
The Dutch player stated: “Naturally, they did not want a repeat of last season’s match, so their focus was primarily on defense.
“At times, it was challenging to find spaces between the lines and create opportunities, but the most important thing is that we have advanced to the next round.”
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This marks Reijnders’ inaugural season at City following a £46.5million transfer from AC Milan last summer.
The 27-year-old expressed: “Fortunately, I’ve already participated in many matches, and the coach has allowed me time to adjust, but I truly enjoy it here.
“I appreciate the Premier League, and I especially like the team I am currently part of.”
