MX23RW : Tuesday, March 11 05:46:47| >> :120:6125:6125:

It's not easy being favourites, Guardiola warns Liverpool

It's not easy being favourites, Guardiola warns Liverpool
© Reuters
Manchester City slipped seven points behind the Reds with their loss at Leicester.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has warned Liverpool of the pressures of being Premier League leaders.

Boxing Day could prove a pivotal day in the title race after results saw the Reds extend their advantage at the top of the table to six points ahead of Tottenham, with City a point further back in third place after a 2-1 loss at Leicester condemned them to a second straight defeat.

Guardiola's team have the chance to narrow the gap when they host Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on January 3, but first they travel to Southampton on Sunday.

Manchester City'were left to contemplate another Premier League defeat as they were beaten by Leicester (Nick Potts/PA).
Manchester City'were left to contemplate another Premier League defeat as they were beaten by Leicester (Nick Potts/PA).

Liverpool host Arsenal the day before and Guardiola warned his rivals that it can be difficult being out in front when everybody expects you to win.

"From January, February last season people said, 'The Premier League is over'. To live with that is not easy," said the City boss.

"One month ago people said about (the match against) Liverpool and before (then) we had three or four games. Football is that you are able to win a lot of games and you are able to lose a lot of games. When I was at Barcelona for one period I lost four games in a row."

The defeat at Leicester is the first time in two years that City have lost back-to-back Premier League games and they have now suffered three defeats in four league matches, following the losses against Chelsea at the beginning of the month and Crystal Palace last weekend.

But Guardiola remains confident in his team's ability and has backed them to bounce back.

"The less important issue is Liverpool, we have to think about Southampton," he said. "I don't forget who we are, how good a team we are, how exceptional these lads I have in the locker room are.

"The reality is we have lost three in four games and the last two. If you want to be real contenders you have to win again. If you don't, it will not be possible."

After successive Premier League wins against Chelsea and City over the Christmas period, Leicester boss Claude Puel wants his side to keep that momentum heading into the new year.

He said: "These two games were fantastic challenges and we created the upset. Okay, it's good, it's perfect, but now we need to maintain a consistency and our mentality.

"They are special games because we played great teams with a lot of possession and a good organisation. We made a fantastic work on the pitch with the right mentality, a positive attitude.

"We play against Cardiff in the next game, it will be a different game. We must keep this feeling and togetherness."

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Sean Taylor, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '1da28387-ecf5-431f-a5d8-130f19b7ca61');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk,paservice:sport:world');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'It\u2019s not easy being favourites, Guardiola warns Liverpool'});

ID:345251: cacheID:345251:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:8645:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Pep Guardiola gesticulates during the Premier League game between Chelsea and Manchester City on December 8, 2018
Read Next:
Pep Guardiola admits 'there will be doubts' following City's defeat at Leicester
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool29217169274270
2Arsenal281510352242855
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest28156745331251
4Chelsea28147753361749
5Manchester CityMan City28145953381547
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2814594738947
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton28121064640646
8Aston Villa2912984145-445
9Bournemouth28128847341344
10Fulham2811984138342
11Crystal Palace2810993633339
12Brentford28115124844438
13Tottenham HotspurSpurs281041455411434
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd2897123440-634
15Everton2871293135-433
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2896133248-1633
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2865173857-1923
18Ipswich TownIpswich2838172658-3217
19Leicester CityLeicester2845192562-3717
20Southampton2823232068-489


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!