MX23RW : Sunday, November 24 00:55:12| >> :120:4072:4072:

It's not easy being favourites, Guardiola warns Liverpool

It's not easy being favourites, Guardiola warns Liverpool
© Reuters
Manchester City slipped seven points behind the Reds with their loss at Leicester.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has warned Liverpool of the pressures of being Premier League leaders.

Boxing Day could prove a pivotal day in the title race after results saw the Reds extend their advantage at the top of the table to six points ahead of Tottenham, with City a point further back in third place after a 2-1 loss at Leicester condemned them to a second straight defeat.

Guardiola's team have the chance to narrow the gap when they host Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on January 3, but first they travel to Southampton on Sunday.

Manchester City'were left to contemplate another Premier League defeat as they were beaten by Leicester (Nick Potts/PA).
Manchester City'were left to contemplate another Premier League defeat as they were beaten by Leicester (Nick Potts/PA).

Liverpool host Arsenal the day before and Guardiola warned his rivals that it can be difficult being out in front when everybody expects you to win.

"From January, February last season people said, 'The Premier League is over'. To live with that is not easy," said the City boss.

"One month ago people said about (the match against) Liverpool and before (then) we had three or four games. Football is that you are able to win a lot of games and you are able to lose a lot of games. When I was at Barcelona for one period I lost four games in a row."

The defeat at Leicester is the first time in two years that City have lost back-to-back Premier League games and they have now suffered three defeats in four league matches, following the losses against Chelsea at the beginning of the month and Crystal Palace last weekend.

But Guardiola remains confident in his team's ability and has backed them to bounce back.

"The less important issue is Liverpool, we have to think about Southampton," he said. "I don't forget who we are, how good a team we are, how exceptional these lads I have in the locker room are.

"The reality is we have lost three in four games and the last two. If you want to be real contenders you have to win again. If you don't, it will not be possible."

After successive Premier League wins against Chelsea and City over the Christmas period, Leicester boss Claude Puel wants his side to keep that momentum heading into the new year.

He said: "These two games were fantastic challenges and we created the upset. Okay, it's good, it's perfect, but now we need to maintain a consistency and our mentality.

"They are special games because we played great teams with a lot of possession and a good organisation. We made a fantastic work on the pitch with the right mentality, a positive attitude.

"We play against Cardiff in the next game, it will be a different game. We must keep this feeling and togetherness."

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Sean Taylor, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '1da28387-ecf5-431f-a5d8-130f19b7ca61');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk,paservice:sport:world');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'It\u2019s not easy being favourites, Guardiola warns Liverpool'});

ID:345251: cacheID:345251:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:8645:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Pep Guardiola gesticulates during the Premier League game between Chelsea and Manchester City on December 8, 2018
Read Next:
Pep Guardiola admits 'there will be doubts' following City's defeat at Leicester
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Vikings
@
Bears
6pm
Lions
@
Colts
6pm
Patriots
@
Dolphins
6pm
Buccaneers
@
Giants
6pm
Chiefs
@
Panthers
6pm
Titans
@
Texans
6pm
Cowboys
@
Washington
9.05pm
Broncos
@
Raiders
9.25pm
49ers
@
Packers
9.25pm
Cardinals
@
Seahawks
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Crystal Palace121561017-78
19Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
20Southampton11119721-144


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!