Pep Guardiola admitted Arsenal were the better side despite Manchester City clinching a late 2-1 win at the Emirates on New Year’s Day.

City extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to 11 points in north London, with Rodri’s stoppage-time winner snatching them an 11th straight victory.

Nevertheless, Guardiola’s men benefitted from two highly controversial calls on the day; first when referee Stuart Attwell chose not to award Arsenal a penalty for Ederson’s challenge on Martin Odegaard inside the box, and later when he pointed to the spot for a Granit Xhaka foul on Bernardo Silva.

Riyad Mahrez cancelled out Bukayo Saka’s opener from 12 yards, setting up Rodri to slot home his last-gasp winner.

On another day the Gunners could well have come away with three points of their own, which Guardiola was quick to acknowledge after the game.

‘They (Arsenal) were better,’ he said. ‘We faced a team that in the past years has struggled to be in the top four and started this year in the bottom, bottom, bottom and they are in the top four and they had six or seven days from Norwich, we had two and a half from Brentford going back to Manchester and coming back.

‘And we didn’t have energy, that is why we tried to put one more player in midfield, for control.

‘We tried in the second half to change it, football we try to analyse many things, sometimes it is the coin, sometimes it comes down on your side, sometimes the other side. That is the reality.

‘We know what it means to win at the Emirates against Arsenal in the moment they are. It was difficult, now we find time to rest.’

When asked if the title race is over with his side now in what appears an unassailable lead, Guardiola replied:  ‘It is unlikely, I told you before. Eleven games in a row, that is great in this period.

‘Just take a look at our bench today, there were four guys from the academy. We had many cases of Covid and injuries. This period we were incredibly tired.

‘Arsenal was better today. Sometimes it can happen.’