The unknown awaits a host of Manchester City players across the run-inA skill that has typified Manchester City throughout Pep Guardiolas reign as manager is their ability to click into gear during the final stages of a season. City finishing with a wet sail has seen them win six Premier League titles under Guardiolas tutelage. As of right now, it seems that City are in the midst of setting off on a run that could see them overhaul Arsenal in this seasons Premier League title race. Pep Guardiolas side has beaten Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea in their past three matches, and it seems that they are clicking into gear with three dominant performances in those three matches.However, this is a new-look Manchester City side. There are several players in this City squad who have been down this road before and know what it takes to win the Premier League. There is also a host of City players learning what it takes to finish the job during the run-in. Pep Guardiola pointed this out speaking ahead of Manchester Citys top-of-the-table Premier League clash with Arsenal. How City perform today at the Etihad may provide a clue as to how well this City side handles the pressure across the run-in.Pep Guardiola has highlighted how many of his players are learning what it takes to perform in a title race.Speaking ahead of Manchester Citys huge Premier League clash against Arsenal, Pep Guardiola explained that while the majority of his team are inexperienced at this stage of the season, the way they have trained in the lead up to Manchester Citys clash with Arsenal fills him with confidence. He explained on Friday: My confidence is in how we train and the players believe what we have to do. This is where the confidence comes from. Six Premier Leagues in the past, that does not give you confidence to win the next game because Ederson and [Ilkay] Gundo[gan], Kevin [De Bruyne], Kyle [Walker], Manu [Akanji] a lot of players who made a lot of things arent here anymore. A lot are new. We will see. Cherki never won Premier League so how will he behave in that position? Gigio [Donnarumma], Khusa[nov] never been here.Nico [OReilly] its the first time hes really there and Antoine [Semenyo] arrived a month ago, Marc Guhi arrived weeks ago. There are lots of players who are going to play and try to win the first Premier League in my life.How we behave? I dont know. My target is guys, this will happen tomorrow and we will try to do this. I will try to convince them and say lets go. Thats the way the game has to be played. Many things we cannot control.Manchester City can show today against Arsenal that they are up for the challenge of the run-in.Pep Guardiolas assessment of this Manchester City side is right on the money. Yes, there are a host of leaders in this City side who have been down this road before. Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Phil Foden, and Erling Haaland nust to name a few know what it takes to ultimately be successful in a Premier League title race. However, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Abdukodir Khusanov, Marc Guehi, Nico OReilly, Rayan Cherki, and Antoine Semenyo and others havent been down this path before. They are experiencing the pressure that comes with chasing the Premier League title for the first time.What looks good for this Manchester City side is how they have played in their past three matches. This group won their first trophy together when they beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final. They handled the pressure of big matches to see off Liverpool and Chelsea emphatically. Today they have another opportunity to rise to the occasion in a top-of-the-table Premier League match against Arsenal. We have seen Pep Guardiolas side dominate these types of matches in seasons gone by, especially against Arsenal. It is now up to a new group of City players to do the same today. If they can beat Arsenal today, it will set them up in this seasons title race and fill them with belief for the seasons ahead.Final thoughts.Manchester City look to have clicked into gear this season. But, as Pep Guardiola has pointed out, this is a new-look City team. The majority of Manchester Citys players are experiencing a Premier League title race for the first time. At the moment, the signs are positive that they are handling that pressure well. Todays match against Arsenal could provide another clue as to how far along Pep Guardiolas new-look side is. That answer may be staring everyone in the face come the final whistle at the Etihad.

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The destiny of the Premier League title is at stake on Sunday as Arsenal aim to halt an alarming slump and hold off the charge of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

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Exeter won the Champions Cup in 2020 [Getty Images]The billionaire owners of Premier League side Bournemouth are closing in on a takeover of Exeter Chiefs.It was revealed last week that an American consortium were on the verge of securing a major stake in the Prem club, with Exeter members set to vote in an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in May.It understood the group are Black Knight Football Club, who acquired Bournemouth at the end of 2022 and have stakes in Hibernian and French club FC Lorient as well as owning Auckland FC.If the deal goes through, Exeter will be latest Prem club to secure major new investment.Last August energy drinks giant Red Bull bought Newcastle, while Bath have been boosted by businessman James Dyson taking a 50% stake in the Prem champions.Senior sources in the English game have indicated to the BBC other clubs are also of interest to external investors as the league looks to launch a new era following the decision to ring-fence the top flight and revamp standards on and off the field.Black Knight board member Ryan Caswell was a guest of Chiefs chairman Tony Rowe at Saturday's thrilling 35-28 defeat by Northampton.Rowe, whose businesses have propped up Exeter for the best part of three decades, has been open about his desire to seek fresh investment in the club."I've effectively run a business for the last 30-odd years for a shareholder who's got no money," Rowe told The Guardian last week."What I'm looking forward to is an investor who's got some money. That'll be a massive difference for me."I think it will put us in a really good place to take advantage of the future."Whether you like it or not professional sport is all about money. We need money to survive."Exeter members to vote on takeover by US backersListen: Sport's Strangest Crimes - BloodgateListen to the latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast

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Wales have lost their past seven games in the Six Nations [Huw Evans Picture Agency]Sean Lynn insists Wales are closing the gap on the world's top nations despite another bruising defeat.Lynn's wait for a Six Nations victory goes on after his side were out-played in a 38-7 loss to France in Cardiff.And the odds of seven successive championship defeats becoming eight look extremely high as they prepare to face England next.Even the most optimistic Wales fan will be fearful of what the world and defending Six Nations champions could inflict at Ashton Gate next Saturday after their remarkable 84-7 thrashing of Scotland."I watched the first 10 minutes of that game in the hotel before [Wales' match]. England have got a lot of firepower haven't they," said Lynn."I watched them against Ireland last week as well and you can see they have just got so much pace in the backs in Jess Breach and Ellie Kildunne."The big focus has to be on us, how do we move the dial, how are we fixing our processes in attack and defence."Wales have now lost 11 of their past 12 Tests and while they were rarely expected to beat France, they certainly had the visitors rattled at the Arms Park.Pressure up front led to two swift yellow cards, either side of a penalty try, and plenty of uncharacteristic errors from Les Bleues.But while Wales still held France to 7-7 at half-time, their failure to capitalise on a nine-minute period against 13 players told a story.They also struggled to contain the inevitable backlash as France seized control with three tries in the space of 14 minutes early in the second half."We attempted 247 tackles, that's a lot and it does take its toll," said Lynn."We have to look to keep the ball more. It was the same against Scotland, we were forcing the ball. "The set-piece did well in the first half but not in the second. We need to be more consistent in those areas."Lynn insists his side are closing the gap on the leading nations."We went in level at half-time against a top-four side and I thought the final scoreline was harsh," he added."It's just making sure we're getting better with the first 10-15 minutes of the second half and the bench needs to be making the sort of impact that France's did."'Rusty' to 'relentless' - Red Roses deliver statement winAs it happened - Reaction as six-try France overpower Wales in Cardiff'Size doesn't matter'There was certainly commitment, discipline, try-saving tackles and bodies on the line for Wales.But there were limitations as well, not least in the kicking game which faltered, a young side still looking to solve problems on the pitch in the heat of battle and missed tackles as weary, lighter bodies slipped off powerful blue jerseys.Captain Kate Williams says they are developing a gameplan designed around speed of thought and action, given the lack of bulk in Wales' ranks."It doesn't matter about size. If you're looking one on one, we can go toe-toe with grit and effort but as a nation we need to be so much technically and tactically better [than opponents]," she said."We're good at that in patches but if we're not, you know weight wins when you play the likes of France. "We know that. We're not going to suddenly grow 20kg heavier so that [technique and tactics] is where we are focusing our efforts and improving."Wales will need to improve rapidly when they face the full weight of the world champions next week.Women's Six Nations: Fixtures, results, standings and BBC coverage