Guardiola issues rallying cry to fans as Man City host Arsenal in ‘final’

“I know even though they have drawn the last three games, the way they play in big, big parts of the game, it is difficult to stop. It's a huge, important game for us. We know winning will give us a step to putting it completely in our hands.

“The Premier League is 11 months working, working, working. And we want to take this opportunity. We cannot do it alone. Hopefully the Etihad will be full three hours before the game.”

Guardiola has previously criticised the club's supporters for failing to get behind the team.

After a 4-2 comeback victory over Tottenham Hotspur in January, he said fans had been “silent for 45 minutes”.