London [UK], March 22: Manager Pep Guardiola believes Arsenal have set a benchmark for his Manchester City side ahead of the League Cup final.
The Gunners are in contention for a quadruple having been the Premier League's strongest team throughout the first three-quarters of the season.
City have the chance to dent those ambitions, starting with Sunday's meeting at Wembley.
"They control many aspects of the game and have a strong spirit from winning over many years," said Guardiola, whose City side are also trying to claw back a nine-point gap to Arsenal in the league.
"They can defend deep or press high, and their build-up is fluid with consistent patterns. They are an exceptional team and a big challenge for us, to see our level."
City head to the national stadium after a difficult spell, having exited the Champions League after defeats in both legs against Real Madrid and been held to a frustrating draw by West Ham.
Guardiola hopes playing at Wembley - a familiar setting - can inspire them.
He said: "Today in modern football we have a lot of games, a lot of competitions mixed during the weeks and everything.
"Psychologically you have to be prepared in the good moments and continue, and in the bad moments forget it and always learn from victories and defeats.
"We have been to Wembley 21 times in semi-finals and finals, so being there is an honour and a big challenge."
Guardiola has confirmed second-choice goalkeeper James Trafford will start, as he has done in all domestic cup matches this season.
The Gunners are challenging for the quadruple this season having developed into strong contenders under the management of Guardiola's former assistant Mikel Arteta over the past six years.
It is a position City themselves have been in several times under Guardiola, but their latest bid for a clean sweep ended with Champions League defeat by Real Madrid in midweek.
Guardiola said: "The job is consistency. The main target is do what you have to do every three days, many times.
"What has impressed me over many years is how consistent we have been every three days and now this is what Arsenal have done this season, been consistent in all the processes.
"The club, how they work, has been year by year being there. Of course we have been disappointed in the last weeks, but still in two months we have three competitions to be there in."
Source: Qatar Tribune
