Pep Guardiola Gives Early Man City, Liverpool Title Verdict

Manchester City currently trail leaders Liverpool by five points in the Premier League title race.

Pep Guardiola thinks there is plenty of time for Manchester City to force their way back into the Premier League title race, despite a record-breaking run of bad results.

The Blues have lost the last four in all competitions, their worst sequence under Guardiola and for 18 years. Two of those defeats came in the Premier League and, coupled with Liverpool taking maximum points in those weekends, sit five points clear at the league’ summit.

Guardiola admitted in the aftermath of Saturday’s defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion that this might be the year another side ‘deserve’ to win the league title, while adding that City are ‘not able to do 90 minutes right now’ amid an injury outbreak.

The recent issues have seen City drop points against Brighton and Bournemouth, but they’re not the only Champions League side struggling at present. Aston Villa have lost the last four, while Arsenal’s only win in the last five came in the Carabao Cup against Preston North End. Chelsea have won one of their last five league games, Tottenham Hotspur were beaten by Ipswich Town on Sunday, while Manchester United currently sit 13th in the table.

In contrast, the likes of Brighton, Newcastle United, Fulham and Brentford have impressed so far in a Premier League season that feels particularly competitive. Guardiola recently claimed he thinks it will take a lower points tally to win the league this time around, which could give City a reprieve for dropping points in the early months of the season.

Speaking after the Brighton win, Guardiola seemed to imply there will be plenty more slip-ups across the league this season season, something he’ll need if City are to overhaul Liverpool’s early advantage.

“So we have been top, and right now we are not at our best, it’s obvious, but still it’s November so hopefully we come back and step by step we do it, because the league, I have the feeling that every game will be tough for all the teams. We have to recover our best and we will see,” said Guardiola.

City return from the November international break with a home clash against Spurs, before facing Liverpool, Forest, Crystal Palace and United in the league inside the opening 15 days of December.

Manchester World