LONDON: Pep Guardiola spoke of his admiration for Arsene Wenger after his Manchester City side steamrollered Arsenal for the second time in five days to increase the pressure on the Frenchman.
The Gunners suffered another chastening 3-0 defeat at home on Thursday following a loss by the same scoreline in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.
Guardiola celebrated his 100th game in charge in style as Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Leroy Sane all scored first-half goals for City, who now need just five more wins to secure the Premier League title.
Struggling Arsenal are 10 points off the top four and a whopping 30 points adrift of the champions-elect.
With seven defeats from 13 games across all competitions in 2018, Wenger’s position is under intense scrutiny.
But Guardiola suggested his counterpart would make the right decision over his own future, given his long history at Arsenal.
“He knows my admiration for him,” he said of the Frenchman. “We play, we fight many, many times in Barcelona, a lot of times in Bayern Munich, a lot of times here in Premier League. A lot of times.
“I can understand the situation. I know all the managers can be in that situation. He knows, he handles that situation. He has a lot of experience.”
Thursday’s game at the Emirates Stadium went ahead despite snow and freezing conditions across Britain — but the hosts could not cope with City’s quality.
“They took advantage of our lack of confidence,” said Wenger. “We’re going through a difficult period, they’re going through a period where all goes well for them.
“When your confidence is not at the best, the first thing that goes is your fluidity in the movement, the spontaneous side of the game.
“You could see that tonight. I don’t deny their quality because they have top quality, but we’re going through a difficult patch at the moment. That’s part of football as well, unfortunately.”
Pep Guardiola voices support for under-fire Arsene Wenger
Pep Guardiola voices support for under-fire Arsene Wenger
Emirati driver Amna Al-Qubaisi set for historic Porsche Carrera Cup Asia debut
- The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend
DUBAI: When the UAE’s Amna Al-Qubaisi lines up on the grid at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, she will once again make motorsport history.
The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, from March 13 to 15.
Al-Qubaisi will join a highly competitive 30-driver grid from across Asia and beyond in one of the region’s leading GT racing championships.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia features drivers competing in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, placing a strong emphasis on driver skill, precision and consistency throughout the season.
For Al-Qubaisi, the milestone represents another step forward in a career that has already seen her break barriers for Emirati and Arab drivers in international motorsport.
“The competition is incredibly strong, which makes it even more exciting,” Al-Qubaisi told Arab News ahead of the race weekend.
“My approach is to stay focused on my own development, work closely with my team, and maximize every session.
“It’s my first time competing in this car and on tracks I’ve never been to before. In a field like this, every small improvement makes a difference, so consistency, preparation and learning quickly are key.”
The Shanghai race weekend will also mark Al-Qubaisi’s first experience racing at the circuit, where Porsche Carrera Cup Asia runs as a support race to the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix.
The Emirati driver has had limited time to prepare. “I wasn’t able to go back to the country and do simulator work, so I manually watched onboard footage and made notes of the circuit.
“It’ll be my first time racing in Shanghai and we’re the support race with Formula One, so I’m really looking forward to learning and enjoying the weekend.”
One of the biggest challenges this season will be adapting to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which demands a different driving style compared with the machinery Al-Qubaisi raced earlier in her career.
“The biggest challenge for me is getting used to the car,” she explained.
“I’m very used to single-seaters and prototypes, so moving into a heavier car with less downforce means the driving style is very different. It’s all about adapting and trying to make the most out of the car.”
Al-Qubaisi has been a pioneer for women in motorsport in the region since the early stages of her racing journey.
In 2019, she became the first Arab woman to win a single-seater race, claiming victory in the Formula 4 UAE Trophy round at Yas Marina Circuit during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
She later competed in the Italian Formula 4 Championship, Formula Regional Asian Championship, and F1 Academy, where she secured two race wins in 2023 and finished sixth in the overall standings.
More recently, Al-Qubaisi began transitioning toward sportscar and endurance racing. In 2025, she competed in the Ligier European Series with Group Virage alongside her sister Hamda Al-Qubaisi, where the pair secured three podium finishes during their rookie season.
Her move into Porsche Carrera Cup Asia follows her selection into the Porsche Talent Pool Asia, where she became the first Arab, and Arab female driver, to join the development program.
The championship calendar will take drivers across several of Asia’s most iconic circuits, including Fuji Speedway, Sepang International Circuit, the Bangsaen street circuit in Thailand and Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit.
While each venue presents a unique challenge, one track in particular stands out for Al-Qubaisi. “It’s hard to pick just one because they’re all incredible circuits,” she said.
“Fuji and Sepang are legendary tracks with a lot of history, but Singapore is definitely very exciting because racing on a street circuit is always unique. The atmosphere there is amazing. I raced there in F1 Academy back in 2024 so I’m really looking forward to experiencing that.”
For now, however, Al-Qubaisi’s focus is firmly on Shanghai as she prepares for the opening race of the season. “This weekend is about learning and enjoying the experience,” she said.
“The focus is to keep improving every session and build confidence with the car.”
