Man City boss Pep Guardiola explains why he let Gabriel Jesus join title rivals Arsenal

Gabriel Jesus left Pep Guardiola and Manchester City to join Arsenal for £45million in the summer and has scored five goals since arriving in north London to help the Gunners to the top of the table

Pep Guardiola insists he has no regrets about selling Gabriel Jesus to title rivals Arsenal.

Brazilian international Jesus left Manchester City to join the Gunners in a £45m deal in the summer. The striker has been a revelation for the London club after scoring five goals and making numerous assists to help Mikel Arteta's men climb to the top of the Premier League table.

The Gunners have lost just once this season and currently represent the biggest challenge to Manchester City's reign as English champions.

Jesus told Guardiola he wanted to leave the Etihad once it became clear City had struck a £51m deal to land Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.

Guardiola admits he would never tell someone he couldn't leave his club - and is not worried he's made a mistake by handing one of his challengers a huge advantage in the title fight.

The Spanish boss, who also let Raheem Sterling and Oleksandr Zinchenko leave at the same time, said: "Every player is different. I think the guys gave us what they gave us, like Raheem, Oleks and Gabby.

"What they gave us, they deserve to choose where they want to play. If they don't want to go to Arsenal or Chelsea they would stay here.

"But if they stay here why do we have to say you cannot be there? I think they did belong at a big club, at big clubs when you want to play you fight for them and go wherever you want. I didn't chat to him (Jesus). He can do what he wants. Every situation is different.

"If they ask me the opinion of the club, I tell them what I think. I wouldn't like to say 'I'm here you cannot leave, you cannot go and be somewhere else'. I know enough to know what I have to do, as much as the club knows what they have to do."

Guardiola, meanwhile, is expected to leave Haaland out of his side for Wednesday's visit of Sevilla in the Champions League. Haaland missed the weekend win at Leicester with a nagging foot problem and with City's place in the last 16 already secure, Guardiola is reluctant to risk picking the Norwegian sensation.