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Raheem Sterling predicts title race will "go down to the wire"

Sterling predicts title race will
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City trail the Reds by two points but have a game in hand.

Raheem Sterling believes the Premier League title race will go to the wire and insists there will be no let-up from Manchester City.

Liverpool's win over Chelsea on Sunday sent them back to the top, just a couple of hours after City beat Crystal Palace 3-1 to briefly lead the pack.

But with City having played a game less, their destiny is in their own hands.

Raheem Sterling scored twice for Manchester City at Palace
Raheem Sterling scored twice for Manchester City at Palace (Steven Paston/PA)

Sterling feels the title rivals will continue matching each other stride for stride over what promises to be an exciting run-in.

"Yes, 100 per cent, the way Liverpool have been playing it will go down to the wire," he said.

"I don't see us slowing down now. Liverpool have a great squad, great self-belief, but so do we."

Sterling scored twice to put City in control, but only after he missed a glorious chance to give them the lead.

"I tried to be a bit too clever with the first one," he admitted. "But the game is 90 minutes and it was still 0-0, so I knew there would be more chances.

"When I was younger you always want to score your first opportunity and sometimes it doesn't happen like that. You don't beat yourself up.

"There's 80 minutes left, you just have to be ready for the next opportunity. That's the mentality, just keep going and the chance will come."

Luka Milivojevic gave Palace hope with a free-kick nine minutes from time, but
substitute Gabriel Jesus wrapped up a ninth straight win for City in stoppage time.

"We always knew coming here in the past that it's a difficult place to come," said Sterling. "We got two goals but knew we couldn't switch off.

"We kept pushing and we were glad to get the third goal. We knew we had to be on it from the first minute."

It was a tough afternoon for Palace and in particular Christian Benteke, who started his first game since February 9 and played the whole 90 minutes.

Christian Benteke started for the first time since early February
Christian Benteke started for the first time since early February (Steven Paston/PA)

The striker told the club website: "I am happy. It has been a tough season with injury but the main thing is for the players to control what they can control.

"I am always available for my team-mates and I work hard in training to be where I am. I will keep pushing myself until the end."

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool23175156213556
2Arsenal24148249222750
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest24145540271347
4Chelsea24127547311643
5Manchester CityMan City24125748351341
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle24125742291341
7Bournemouth24117641281340
8Aston Villa2410773437-337
9Fulham249963632436
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2481063538-334
11Brentford2494114242031
12Crystal Palace247982830-230
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd2485112834-629
14Tottenham HotspurSpurs24831348371127
15West Ham UnitedWest Ham2476112946-1727
16Everton236892328-526
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2454153452-1819
18Leicester CityLeicester2445152553-2817
19Ipswich TownIpswich2437142249-2716
20Southampton2423191854-369


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