Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City missed an opportunity to beat Liverpool – and warned his team must now win all their remaining games to fend off the Reds’ championship challenge.
City were pegged back twice as Jurgen Klopp’s side scrapped to a 2-2 Premier League draw at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon. It means Guardiola’s side stay a point clear of Liverpool at the summit with both teams having seven games left to play. And the City boss fears his side being held to a solitary draw during those final games may be enough to let the Reds in to reclaim the title.
“Winning, losing or drawing today, it will not end (the title race),” said Guardiola. “I had that feeling before. Both teams know today was massively important about the distance (between the teams) and we played for that.
VERDICT: Liverpool have just provided definite answer to Man City rivalry question
PLAYER RATINGS: Sadio Mane great but Fabinho awful against Man City
HAVE YOUR SAY: Cast your player ratings after Man City draw
“We know they will fight until the end. We know if we draw a game we will not be champions. Now we know it. It will be difficult, but for them too. They also have to win all the games too and we will see.”
City’s approach echoed the regular Liverpool tactic of pressing high up the pitch, which appeared to unsettle the Reds during a difficult first half for the visitors.
And Guardiola said: “I tried to beat the best team, I am learning. Absolutely went pretty well, it was a fantastic game. Football sides and both teams want to try to win every game in all competitions. It was a good game. I had a feeling the result 2-2… I have to review the game but (I feel) we missed an opportunity to beat them.
“Heads up, I said to the team after the game ‘I don’t want one second sad, go and announce to everyone how good you have done and how proud you are’. It was good game for City fans, Liverpool fans, UK fans, everyone around the world. It is nice to say that. It was good for football.
“We watch Liverpool in the Premier League and Europe in the last five years and we know exactly what they do, the chances they created and what they gave away. We conceded so few (chances) and created a lot of chances. In general it was a good performance, I’m so happy and glad and proud of my team.”
City had drawn 2-2 at Liverpool earlier in the season, and when asked about the standard of both games, Guardiola said: “We silenced Anfield for 20 minutes, never done it (before). It was the biggest compliment for me, there was even some booing. Both games were really good, and it happened because both teams want to win.”
City missed a chance to win the game in the closing moments when substitute Riyad Mahrez chipped way over the crossbar with only Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker to beat and team-mates unmarked.
Guardiola, though, refused to be critical, and said: “Tomorrow I will watch the game on my laptop and I will pause it, but football isn’t like that, you have to think in a half-second. I understand them, it’s difficult sometimes and the final third is the most difficult position.”
