Without the saves made by Stefan Ortega, replacement goalkeeper who came on against Tottenham (2-0), “Arsenal are champions” of England, reacted Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, whose team has regained the lead of the Premier League on Tuesday.
The “Citizens” took first place at the expense of Arsenal thanks to their victory on Tuesday in a late match at Tottenham, where their N.2 goalkeeper made saving saves, including one against Heung-Min Son in the 86th minute when the score was only 1-0.
“Ortega made saves, otherwise Arsenal are champions,” summed up Guardiola in the post-match conference. “This is the reality in modern football, the margins are very fine.”
His team has 88 points, two more than the “Gunners”, before the final day of the Premier League played on Sunday.
“Even this season, when Edison was injured four times, he was very reliable. He’s an incredible, incredible goalkeeper. Our goalkeeping coach made an incredible decision to bring him here,” he insisted of Ortega.
The German goalkeeper came on in the second half to replace the Brazilian No.1, Ederson, who was hit in the face in an action and visibly furious at having been taken off the field by his coach.
Guardiola and his captain Kyle Walker were careful not to declare victory early, however.
In the title race, “it’s one more step. You have to take each match as it comes. We had a job to do tonight, but we know how things can develop,” Walker said on Sky Sports.
The last match on Sunday against West Ham, at home, “it’s another final and I hope we can make history for this great club. The work is not finished, far from it,” said the English defender.
