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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
1Liverpool29217169274270
2Arsenal291610353242958
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest29166749351454
4Chelsea29147853371649
5Manchester CityMan City29146955401548
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2814594738947
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton29121164842647
8Fulham2912984338545
9Aston Villa2912984145-445
10Bournemouth29128948361244
11Brentford29125125045541
12Crystal Palace2810993633339
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd29107123740-337
14Tottenham HotspurSpurs291041555431234
15Everton2971393236-434
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2997133349-1634
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2975174058-1826
18Ipswich TownIpswich2938182862-3417
19Leicester CityLeicester2945202565-4017
20Southampton2923242170-499


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