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Premier League | Gameweek 37
May 6, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
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Pep Guardiola: 'Title win this year would be one of my biggest achievements'

Manchester City are being hunted down by Liverpool for the Premier League title.

Pep Guardiola believes winning the title this season would rank among his greatest achievements.

The Manchester City manager claims even just taking his side to the brink of retaining the Premier League crown – given the standard of the opposition – is the most satisfied he has felt as a manager.

City's battle for the title will not be concluded until the final day after Liverpool returned to the top with victory over Newcastle on Saturday. City face Leicester at the Etihad Stadium on Monday needing to win to move back above the Reds and retain control of their destiny.

Liverpool's win at Newcastle kept the pressure on City
Liverpool's win at Newcastle kept the pressure on City (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Guardiola, who has won 25 trophies in a glittering career that includes spells in charge of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, feels he has never been pushed as hard.

He said: "It's the toughest league I've ever played as a manager, for the quality from the rivals, no doubts. That's why being there is incredible.

"But, of course, only one will take the prize and the other one will be at home sad."

Manchester City won the title with a record 100 points last season
City won the title with a record 100 points last season (Martin Rickett/PA)

Asked how he would rank title success, he said: "A lot, a lot. One of the biggest achievements."

City won the Premier League by 19 points and accrued a record 100 points last season but this term they have been matched almost blow for blow by Liverpool.

Guardiola is delighted his players have been able to maintain the standards they set last year amid greater pressure.

He said: "Arriving at this stage, two games left with 92 points, after 100 points, that is the most satisfaction I've had as a manager. It's not easy, honestly, and they did it again.

"I would not say that 100 points was bad and that we are not satisfied with what we did last season but, at the same time, we were seven points behind (this season).

"You give credit for the titles and how huge our rival is. In my career as a manager, I played against incredible sides and there are two that were 'wow'.

"One is the Barcelona of Luis Enrique with Neymar, (Lionel) Messi and (Luis) Suarez in front. The other is this Liverpool. I think they're the best two sides I've faced as a manager.

"That's why being there, with it in our hands, fighting against them until the end, after being seven points behind – it's incredible what we have done. But it will make more sense if we are able to lift the Premier League."

City's hard-fought victory at Burnley last week was their 12th in succession in the Premier League
City's hard-fought victory at Burnley last week was their 12th in succession in the Premier League (Nick Potts/PA)

City have shown their champion quality by winning their last 12 games. Since the shattering blow of Champions League elimination last month they have come through some stern tests against Tottenham, Manchester United and Burnley.

But they will still need two more wins to complete the job.

Guardiola said: "I think in the last games of the season when everyone plays for something, always the games are more tight. People take more caution about what happens.

"We play for the Premier League and sometimes your mind is thinking a little bit about what will happen. That's normal.

"What's important is at Burnley we didn't concede one shot on target or one corner away. That's awesome, that is incredible.

"We created enough chances to score more goals and on Monday we'll try the same."

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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