Pep Guardiola slipped fortunately out of London beneath cowl of a technical hitch. Eventually, for him and Manchester Metropolis there was a break within the schedule and he was not about to hold round so Arsenal may repair their Zoom enabling him to reply extra questions.
Guardiola had executed his post-match tv duties and his feedback got here washed with reduction, satisfaction and satisfaction at his staff's fightback and Rodri's stoppage-time winner.
'Now we have now time to relaxation,' mentioned the Metropolis boss. 'We had no power... extremely drained. They have been higher.'
Because the worldwide break in November, Metropolis have performed a dozen video games in 41 days and gained all however one. The one slip was a defeat in a Champions League useless rubber at RB Leipzig.
It has been one other midwinter kick for residence by Guardiola, chopping by the thickest a part of the fixture forest to interrupt away from Metropolis's pursuers.
It could show essentially the most essential 21 days of the season. Three weeks in the past, on Monday December 13, Metropolis have been prime with 38 factors - yet another than Liverpool, two greater than Chelsea.
All three had performed 16 video games. They've gained every of their 5 video games since, stretching a profitable sequence within the Premier League to 11 as they got here from a objective down to say victory at much-improved Arsenal. Now they're 10 factors clear on the prime.
'We confirmed our champion mentality,' mentioned Rodri. 'We by no means quit.'
There are echoes of final season when Guardiola's staff gained 15 matches in a row, beginning in December and ending in March. This relentlessness intensifies stress on rivals. Liverpool and Chelsea have been unable to maintain up, dropping factors with Carabao Cup ties to squeeze in, Covid outbreaks and accidents.
Metropolis haven't been proof against the Omicron variant. Rodri, hero of the Emirates, was simply again from a bout of the virus. As was Kyle Walker, with Oleksandr Zinchenko and Phil Foden lacking after optimistic checks.
By their very own requirements, Metropolis have been stretched throughout this era. They offered Ferran Torres, who had spent a lot of the season injured, and dropped Foden and Jack Grealish for a breach of self-discipline. Benjamin Mendy is in jail.
4 youngsters have been on the bench at Arsenal. Joao Cancelo performed after being overwhelmed up in a theft. Nathan Ake stepped in and made a significant clearance off the road. 'The final week particularly has been very powerful, quite a lot of travelling as nicely,' mentioned Ake.
'You'll be able to see that the power was not the identical. I believe we have now deserved just a few days' relaxation and we go into the FA Cup earlier than an enormous recreation in opposition to Chelsea.'
Sympathy can be in brief provide as a result of they're so rich, however you must sit again and admire the best way Metropolis have armed to compete on all fronts by the rigours of an English season and what Guardiola coaxes from them.
As Riyad Mahrez departs for the Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria, they will carry again Grealish, Britain's most costly footballer, signed for £100million.
The switch window is open for enterprise and they're by the worst of the midwinter congestion with factors on the board - not video games in hand - and simply six Premier League video games earlier than the top of February. Guardiola's fringe gamers can take the pressure within the FA Cup at Swindon on Friday as first-team regulars put their toes up and relaxation earlier than Chelsea go to the Etihad on Saturday week.
Little marvel the Metropolis boss was so glad. His staff are nicely set to proceed what has been a decade of domination within the Premier League. They've gained 5 of the final 10 titles and one other this season would make it 4 of the final 5.
'We are going to at all times problem for the title,' mentioned Rodri. 'We all know how powerful it's to win the Premier League and we aren't going to drop it. We do not take a look at the others a lot and profitable 11 video games in a row, it exhibits that we're centered on ourselves.'
Chelsea, in the meantime, go from yesterday's draw with Liverpool into what guarantees to be a gruelling two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final in opposition to London rivals Tottenham. Within the different tie, Liverpool tackle Arsenal, who can be inspired by their efficiency in defeat in opposition to Metropolis.
The Gunners led by Bukayo Saka and can replicate on a suicidal 5 minutes within the second half throughout which they conceded the penalty scored by Mahrez, missed an open objective by Gabriel Martinelli and noticed Gabriel despatched off after two foolish yellow playing cards. The primary was for dissent in the direction of referee Stuart Attwell and the second for a body-check on Gabriel Jesus. 'Onerous to just accept it,' tweeted the Arsenal centre again.
Gabriel will miss the primary leg of the Liverpool tie, on the Emirates on Thursday, and must wait to see if the FA take additional motion over the sarcastic applause directed at fourth official Kevin Good friend after his crimson card.
Wilfried Zaha obtained an improper conduct cost and a further recreation's ban when he did one thing comparable in 2019.
