Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been speaking about why it is too early to rule Liverpool or any team out of the Premier League title race
MONACO, MONACO - SEPTEMBER 30: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City speaks during a press conference ahead of the UEFA Champions League group stage week 2 match against AS Monaco at Stade Louis II in Monaco, Monaco on September 30, 2025. (Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been talking the Premier League title race
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hit out at the pundits who he believes are too quick to rule teams out of the title race. And he has promised that defending champions Liverpool will discover their best form.
City ended last season trophy-less for the first time since Guardiola's debut campaign in Manchester. And they were being written off in some quarters in August after they followed up an opening-day 4-0 win at Wolves with back-to-back defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Since then the Etihad outfit have won four and drawn one of their last five Premier League matches to move up to second in the table and within three points of leaders Arsenal.
That is the same Arsenal side who, on the back of three straight second-placed finishes, came in for criticism after they went down to a 1-0 defeat at defending champions Liverpool in August. Since then they, too, have taken 13 points from a possible 15.
In contrast, the title holders have lost their way lately, with the Reds heading to Brentford on Saturday night looking to arrest a run of three successive league defeats.
But Guardiola has no doubt that Arne Slot's men will hit back. Speaking at his press conference to preview his side's trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, the City boss said: “Well, in the first two games, three games, yeah for sure we are out (of the title race).
“And Liverpool is already done - and now it looks like Liverpool is done. And I’ll tell you that they will be back.
“I’ve said many times, I know all the pundits, all the specialists or former players, they know everything that is going to happen after five games - I’m not able to do that.
“So, always I wait for 10, 15 games to know exactly what is going on.
“But I think obviously Liverpool and Arsenal are there, someone else will be there, and hopefully we can be there.”
The Reds will move above City and within one point of Arsenal, who host Crystal Palace on Sunday, with victory at Brentford.
City are unbeaten in their last nine games in all competitions since suffering the losses to Spurs and Brighton.
And Guardiola said: “We have good momentum but not the consistency for 90 minutes.
“Our mentality and our body language is in the right spot and it will make us stable but (we need to) play better during 95 minutes.”
City welcome Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, November 9 in what will be the final game before the final international break of the year.
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