Manchester City stayed in the title race with a win on Sunday (Picture: Sky Sports)
Pep Guardiola says there is ‘a lot of time’ left in the Premier League title race as Manchester City kept their hopes alive with a dramatic 2-1 win at Liverpool.
It was a dramatic evening at Anfield as the Reds held a 1-0 lead through a stunning Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick on 74 minutes.
Defeat would have left City’s title hopes in tatters but two late goals kept them breathing, with Bernardo Silva equalising and then Erling Haaland netting the winner from the penalty spot.
Arsenal still hold a significant advantage, sitting top of the table and six points ahead of City, but victory for their nearest challengers means the Gunners will remain nervy.
Mikel Arteta still has to take his team to the Etihad on April 18, after the two sides meet in the Carabao Cup final on March 22.
Guardiola has reminded Arsenal that remains a lot of football to play, with 13 games to go in the Premier League season.
‘Despite what has happened today, we have many good things to fight for. Final of the Carabao Cup, FA Cup we are there, Champions League last 16, it’s exciting,’ Guardiola told Sky Sports.
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Liverpool v Manchester City - Premier League
Guardiola celebrated with January signing Marc Guehi (Picture: Getty Images)
‘We are six points behind Arsenal, okay it is a big gap, because they don’t concede goals, they win all their games, but many things are going to happen, I guess.’
On the title race, Guardiola added in his post-match press conference: ‘I have a feeling that improving a little bit will not be enough to compete against Arsenal but still we have margin (to improve).
‘We have to (play them) at home and of course we have to beat them. And I’ve said, 13 games in the Premier League, from my point of view, from my little experience, is a lot of time, a lot.
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Manchester City stars wildly celebrated their win at Anfield (Picture: Getty Images)
‘It’s proper. When you go into the last games playing any team in a relegation battle, it’s a proper game, football game. Because they live to survive and they have long weeks to prepare. You come from FA Cup, you come from Carabao Cup, you come from the Champions League.
‘That makes an influence in the title race, that’s why being nine, 10, 11 points is more difficult, that’s why all we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal, being there, and try if they sleep, if they make something (a mistake), use it.’
After a 3-0 win at the Etihad, Manchester City completed their first double over Liverpool in a season since 1937.
It was also just Guardiola’s second Premier League win at Anfield, with the other coming during COVID and in an empty stadium.
‘It is so difficult, Anfield is Anfield, the tradition, the history and the crowd,’ he said. ‘It always looks smaller, tighter here and the pitch doesn’t look like Etihad Stadium. And the players that they have and everything.’
Manchester United legend Roy Keane still believes Arsenal will get over the line, but feels the looming threat of Guardiola’s side will be an issue for them.
Roy Keane still fancies Arsenal to win the league (Picture: Sky Sports)
‘We’ve been critical of this City team over the last 18 months or so, but if you’re in Arsenal’s camp, yeah you’re comfortable but you don’t want to be looking over your shoulder at Pep, because they’ve got a history of hunting you down,’ the Irishman told Sky Sports.
‘I still believe Arsenal will win the league, but you look over your shoulder and today when you see them go 1-0 down and then go on to win it.
‘Sometimes we write Pep off and think, has he got this hunger with City? Is it a rebuilding job? They’re still in contention to win a few trophies and they will try and hunt that Arsenal team down.’
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