The Manchester City manager suggested Mikel Arteta and Arne Slot are treated differently to him when their rivals spend big in the transfer market.

Premier League champions Liverpool spent around £440m this summer while last season's runners-up Arsenal spent £250m.

City, who finished third last season and travel to Arsenal on Sunday, have paid out almost £350m on signings in 2025, having spent heavily in January.

"Only I want to say to my friend Mikel Arteta, if he wins the title it will be just because he spent, not because he worked a lot or his players," Guardiola said sarcastically ahead of facing Arteta.

"It's like Liverpool. If Arne [Slot] wins again, it will be because he spent a lot of money. Right? Because it's not just [at] Man City that happened, right? So for all of them.

"Listen, for many, many years every club can do whatever he wants. You know? I know how they've been treated is completely different, but what he wants to spend is because they want it and it's fine."

Arsenal have added Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres and Cristhian Mosquera to the team that finished second in the Premier League last season and reached the Champions League semi-finals.

Their strength and depth has been clear this season as the Gunners look to take the final step and win the Premier League after three consecutive runners-up finishes. Guardiola's team lost 5-1 to Arsenal on their last visit to the Emirates last season.

"All I can say is they have been wise," Guardiola said. "They spent what they believe they can do, you know, to compete against the best teams in the Premier League and Europe and they've reached that level.

"So he found, I think, a team in that way, a club, and step by step, window by window, step by step, Arsenal is getting better.

"So last season in Europe, they made incredible step forward and they are for me the most solid team. They don't make mistakes in the back and this incredible solid team.

Pep Guardiola makes dig at Arsenal and Liverpool's summer spending