Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged that his team’s ambition to secure a record fifth consecutive Premier League title could be severely dented if they lose to league leaders Liverpool next Sunday.
Speaking to “ESPN” after City’s 4-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday marking their fifth loss across all competitions and a third straight league defeat, Guardiola admitted that an 11-point gap, should Liverpool win, would be difficult to overcome.
“If we lose, yeah, it’s true,” Guardiola said when asked if such a deficit might end their title challenge.
The Reds have the opportunity to extend their lead at the top to eight points with a win against Southampton on Sunday, further increasing the stakes for next week’s showdown.
Reflecting on the situation, Guardiola added: “We’re not thinking about winning or losing [the title].
We are not in the situation to think about what is going to happen at the end of the season.
If in the end we don’t win, it’s because we don’t deserve it.
We won it in the past because we deserved it.”
With City’s recent struggles and Liverpool’s strong form, the match is shaping up to be a critical moment in this season’s Premier League title race
