Pep: It’s a dream to be fighting for the Premier League again | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola says the excitement of challenging for the Premier League title helps to deal with tiredness in the final weeks of the season.

City closed the gap on Arsenal to one point with a game in hand following our 4-0 victory over Brighton on Thursday night.

But any dropped points would hand the initiative back to the Gunners with Liverpool also in the title race despite losing to Everton in the Merseyside derby.

We face another quick turnaround in fixtures with a testing trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday for a 16:30 (UK) kick-off.

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“Of course, all the teams in that are tired, it's normal at the end of the season,” Guardiola said ahead of the game.

“But in the same time, it's so exciting, you know, fighting again. For the Premier League, it's a dream come true.

“I could not expect it, honestly. I know always you dream to be there. But what happened in the past? I had this season maybe we would not be able to do it.”

FOREST V CITY | MATCH PREVIEW

The City boss is prepared for another huge test with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side fighting for points in their own relegation battle.

We drew 1-1 at the City Ground last season and Guardiola says the atmosphere and threat from Forest will make it an uncomfortable afternoon.

“I think I I've been one or twice in that stadium and always the atmosphere is unbelievable,” he said.

“Maybe an extra [factor] I would say for the fact that they are in a relegation battle. That's why how important the results, especially yesterday, Everton won, so it's not good for them.

“But what I'm concerned about is [Callum] Hudson Odoi and all of the strikers that they have and we have to control the weapons that they have.

“We are used to playing with the environment and we're going to try what we have to do.

“Of course they're going to use this home ground home people to support that is normal.”

The game comes three days after our visit to the Amex Stadium where goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden twice, and Julian Alvarez secured a crucial three points.

After recovering from the penalty shootout exit to Real Madrid to beat Chelsea in the FA Cup, Guardiola says the squad have shown the desire to compete.

“Of course, we have to and they will put on pressure, it’s what they have to do,” he added.

“Chelsea was the real proof we play in difficult conditions. We were not ready to compete against them, but we did it. And we played good? No. We were stable? No. But we found a way. We found the way to win, and it reached the final.

“Sometimes when you play in 60-65 games this season, people say: ‘you are not playing like the previous games’. With respect, it's impossible to play a highest level all the time, impossible.

“The important thing is when you are not in your highest level, be consistent and take the points and win games and normally -normally - it's happened to us at the end of the season and that is so important.”