Fuming Man City fan Arsenal flames - what happens next will decide title

"You want a war? Now we war," stated Pep Guardiola as the fallout from Manchester City's feisty, fiery, full-blooded clash with Arsenal continued.

City secured a late point last weekend with John Stones netting a last-gasp leveller to break 10-man Arsenal's defensive resistance. City were the more jovial leaving the Etihad at full time, even if the Gunners may feel they rattled the four-time champions given some of the post match comments from the likes of Stones and Bernardo Silva.

Both were critical of Arsenal's approach - citing the dark arts employed by the visitors who time-wasted and delayed at every opportunity in the second period - while Erling Haaland threw the ball at Gabriel's head after the leveller. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hit out at the officials after the game, defended his side's tactics and continued to complain in midweek when he said his team won't pass the ball now for fear of a second yellow card.

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It was his pointed comment about City that prompted Pep to return the fire in his press conference on Friday ahead of the trip to Newcastle United. "I was there for four years. I have all the information. So I know. Believe me,” said Arteta on Tuesday.

That did not go down well with his former boss, who was particularly irked given he gave Arteta his first coaching job and then facilitated a move to the Emirates when City could have blocked the approach.

It led to Pep's war cry and anticipation for February's return match in the capital is already building more than four months out. And while that contest will likely prove pivotal in the title race given both sides seem certain to be the leading contenders come the business end of the season, it is what happens between now and then that will perhaps be more telling.

Guardiola stoked the fire on Friday when he didn't need to. But this is a manager who knows what he can gain from the media. He's been around long enough to know his words will carry traction and capture headlines. Even if Arteta, his staff and his players actively avoid the news they will be hard pressed to not see or hear about what was said in the Etihad press room on Friday afternoon.

And that's likely what Guardiola wants. He knows how stiff a challenge Arsenal pose and he wants to respond on and off the pitch. They couldn't be separated over 100 odd minutes last weekend but it's now a test of matches and mentality.

Can Arsenal prove themselves capable of matching those winning runs City churn out year on year? Can they keep their foot to the floor amid European and cup commitments and avoid dropping Premier League points along the way? Can they push questions about their ability to close a campaign out to one side in the face of a City team who are the masters of doing just that?

Guardiola knows the answers from a City perspective, the proof is there for all to see. Now he's throwing it over to Arsenal and asking them to go toe to toe, nose to nose and head to head, metaphorically and quite possibly literally given how last Sunday's match played out, for the next eight months. We'll be there, will you?, is the City message.

If last weekend's enthralling Etihad encounter was the battle, City and Arsenal are now braced for the war.