Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City players that there is “no chance” of them catching Premier League leaders Arsenal unless they improve on their recent performances.

City have dropped eight points in their last six Premier League games to trail Arsenal by five points, having played a game more.

Asked whether Arsenal’s meeting with fellow challengers Manchester United on Sunday represented a chance for his team to close the gap, Guardiola insisted it wouldn’t matter unless they improved their own form.

“It’s not about that,” he told reporters. “[Even if] they lose against United, if we play this way we are not going to win, we aren’t going to catch them. We have to change ourselves.

“Listen, we are second in the table,” he added. “We are not 25 points behind Arsenal, still we are there. It is 57 points still to play.”

But as to whether they can still win this season’s title, Guardiola responded: “In this way, no chance.