Manchester City have entered the international break with a whiff of nervousness in the air around the club after title rivals Liverpool closed the gap to a single point.
Pep Guardiola is going for his fourth title in five years and will have to beat the Reds on April 10 for him to keep his side’s destiny in his own hands. Fans will be quick to note that the team have played some scintillating football at times this season, and opened up a 13-point gap over then second-placed Chelsea in early January.
A lot of football has been played since then, with City facing off against many of the Premier League’s big-hitters in that time, prompting the top-flight's high-profile names to comment on their progress. Here is what a number of them have said.
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Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp (March 17): “We play City in three or four weeks and then we will give them a proper fight. I don’t think a lot about City, that’s the truth. I know the only chance we have is to win an incredible amount of games because our opponents do.
“In the last few years we’ve pushed each other on insane levels. It makes each game a final. You can enjoy that for sure but it’s intense, then comes in the physical part and you are tired.”
Andy Robertson (March 17): "Now we're level on games, but I'd still rather be in Man City's position. They have a point advantage and we still need to go to their place.
"A couple of players said that after their game, and I agree with that. They are a point better off and are one of the best teams in the world. It is a sprint to the finish line and we are in the race.
“A lot of people maybe didn't think we were going to be around January time, but we're definitely in the race. We just need to focus on what we're doing."
Chelsea
Thomas Tuchel (March 20): "We cannot do anything else, but we should not get carried away that two teams (Manchester City and Liverpool) took advantage of our problems, so full credit to them. They deserve to be where they are and we need to make sure to catch as many points as possible."
Cesar Azpilicueta (January 15): “Of course, being 13 points behind is very difficult. You cannot focus on (chasing Manchester City)."
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta (January 2): “My feeling is that they (Manchester City) are the best team that have existed in the history of the Premier League. They have proven that consistency throughout the years.
"That’s the level we have to get to and as the table shows, we are still really far from it. So that’s the margin, and that’s the aim we should all have.”
Martin Odegaard (January 1, after Man City’s 2-1 Emirates win): “I think if you look at the progress from our first game against them until now, it is huge. We are very close to being on their level and we showed that in a lot of moments.
"Even with ten players we defended well, and they didn’t create much before the last goal. So we have to take the positives out of the game. We have improved a lot.”
Man United
Ralf Rangnick (March 7, following City’s 4-1 derby win): "After 28 games, you are as far apart from each team as the table shows it. The second-half showed that if they (Manchester City) are in their momentum and if they are 3-1 up it is almost impossible to keep them away from your own goal, at least for our team.
"It's important for us to look ahead, develop the team, which we have done in the last weeks and months. We do not always play against Manchester City.”
Harry Maguire (March 6, following City’s 4-1 derby win): “The second half comes and any time they put us under pressure we gave away the ball far too easily. It enabled them to control the game through possession and it made it difficult for ourselves to get up the pitch, and obviously they did what they do in terms of keeping the ball and they did that well in the second half.”
Tottenham
Antonio Conte (February 19, after Spurs’ 3-2 Etihad win): "Compliments to Manchester City because also tonight they showed to be the best team, in my opinion, in the world for their organisation, for the players they have, for Pep.
“To win a game like this means we had a perfect performance. We were very good defensively. For sure, when you play against Manchester City, you know the ball possession will be 70 per cent for them.”
Heung-min Son (February 19, after Spurs’ 3-2 Etihad win): “We still believed and worked really hard. We worked for this game (versus Manchester City) especially. It could be the worst time to face Manchester City for us, but this was actually the best time."
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