Premier League teams have it tougher than their European rivals due to their demanding fixture list, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said on Friday as his team prepare to face Arsenal four days after a key Champions League match.

Manchester City avoided Champions League humiliation. Now back to the job of salvaging the Premier League season. Manager Pep Guardiola admitted this week he could not imagine City going on to be crowned champion of Europe for the second time in three years with a playoff against Real Madrid or Bayern Munich awaiting.

Crisis averted then for Manchester City. Or perhaps that should read crisis postponed? The champions of England escaped the league phase and through a certain prism, there is a case to be made that Pep Guardiola's side are well into the post-nadir period of their season.