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Kompany demands City 'pull everything out of the locker' against Liverpool

Kompany demands City 'pull everything out of the locker' against Liverpool
© Reuters
The Premier League's top two meet at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.

Vincent Kompany insists Manchester City still have "everything to play for" in the Premier League title race.

Club captain Kompany challenged City to take the battle to league leaders Liverpool in Thursday's pivotal clash at the Etihad Stadium.

Liverpool are seven points clear at the top of the table, with Pep Guardiola already admitting second-placed City's title challenge will be over if they lose to the Reds this week.

Belgium defender Kompany is refusing to give up hope, however, and called on the club to get back to top form following Sunday's 3-1 win at Southampton.

"We shouldn't focus too much on points at the moment, we know if we can play to our potential we are a good team," Kompany told City's official club website.

"Our pride has been hurt over the last few weeks but we have everything to play for and it depends on us.

"It's one of those key games you live for. Every living soul that comes into the stadium on Thursday has to be ready to fight and give it to them.

"And we should be able to pull everything out of the locker for that game."

Successive defeats to Crystal Palace and Leicester have threatened to derail reigning champions City's bid to retain their title.

Guardiola's men got back on track with Sunday's south-coast canter at Southampton, with strikes from David Silva and Sergio Aguero, and James Ward-Prowse's own goal, sufficient for victory.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg robbed Oleksandr Zinchenko before lashing home a smart Southampton goal, but Guardiola later defended his Ukraine star despite that mistake.

"Oleks was the best player on the pitch, do you know why? After the mistake, he never hid," said Guardiola.

"Mistakes are part of the game. He is young, he will learn. That's why I said to the guys at half-time, 'learn from Zinchenko today guys'.

"Everybody can make a mistake but what he has done after it, in the same game, where he could feel bad and guilty for the team... his reaction was outstanding."

Sunday's defeat left Southampton outside the relegation on goal difference alone, and Hojbjerg can expect to receive a four-match ban for his late red card for a two-footed tackle on Fernandinho.

New Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl rotated his resources against City, and later insisted he now has a better understanding of where the club will need to strengthen in the January transfer window.

Asked if the City defeat laid bare the size of Saints' survival fight, Hasenhuttl replied: "I knew it from the beginning, I knew exactly what a brutal schedule was waiting for us, and to prepare a new team, to know the new players, what they can do for you.

"If you want to make decisions in January about transfers I have to know everyone. Therefore I needed the experiences and impressions I've got today from the team I've played.

"It's important for me because now I can make decisions in January."

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1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
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16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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