Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has said Manchester City are the best team in Europe ahead of the teams' meeting in the Premier League on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola's side have opened up a 10-point lead atop the Premier League table as they ride an incredible 17-game winning streak.
The Gunners, meanwhile, enter Sunday's match in 10th place after winning just one of their last four league matches.
What Arteta said
“What they have done is react to a difficult moment,” the Gunners boss said regarding City's stuttering start to the 2020-21 campaign.
“A big team has to do that when everyone is doubting their ability to compete again and be the team that they are.
“They reacted in a really convincing way, all united and doing what they do best – being very consistent and winning games very comfortably.
“I think they are the best team in Europe at the moment.
“The way they are performing, the football they are playing and the consistency of the results, take all that and it makes them the best team.
“So we have a big but, as well, a very exciting challenge ahead of us on Sunday.”
Man City's amazing run
City have now won 17 straight games in all competitions, last failing to win in a 1-1 draw against West Brom on December 15, and last losing on November 21 against Tottenham.
In addition, they have won their first 10 Premier League matches in 2021, the longest ever winning run by a team from the start of a calendar year in top-flight history.
City have been led by their defence, having conceded just 15 times in the league this season. Chelsea and Aston Villa, who have conceded 24 goals each, are tied for second place in that category.
Arteta's City history
After retiring as a player, Arteta began his coaching career at Man City in 2016 as an assistant to Guardiola.
The Spaniard developed a strong reputation during his time in Manchester and eventually parlayed that into the managerial role at Arsenal, taking charge of the Gunners in 2019.