Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola has admitted that Liverpool’s efforts this season are helping motivate his Manchester City team in the Premier League title race.
City are two points clear at the top of the table, with Liverpool the closest side to the defending champions after 13 games.
Liverpool and City are the only two sides left unbeaten this season, with Jurgen Klopp’s side tipped to be Guardiola’s most serious rivals this season.
Guardiola has needed to see off some fierce competition at different clubs, including the 2009/10 season when Barcelona beat Real Madrid to the La Liga title by just three points.
“I remember perfectly that season, how tough it was. Madrid with Manuel (Pellegrini) played incredibly good,’ he said.
“It was so nice because we did those 99 points when the year before we won the treble with Barcelona.
“To maintain that level… we did 99 points with someone else pushing us.
“We knew that if we dropped points Madrid were going to win the title. It’s similar with (Rafael) Nadal, (Roger) Federer and (Novak) Djokovic, no? They push one to be better than the other one because they know.
“We need it in sport, as athletes. They [the City players] know. I didn’t tell them, but they know how strong Liverpool are.
“They know that we can’t drop points because if we do Liverpool are going to win the league. ‘I can say Liverpool or Chelsea and Tottenham are the same in this moment. Arsenal as well.”
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