Pep Guardiola has refused to rule Manchester United out of the Premier League title race, despite Manchester City requiring just five points from their final six matches.
The Citizens have raced well clear of the chasing pack, finding themselves 13 points clear of closest challengers United with a month of the campaign left to go.
City are enduring their worst run of the season, though, having suffered three successive defeats in all competitions to see their momentum come to a halt.
One of those losses came to the Red Devils in the top flight last weekend, denying City the chance to win the title in a record time, and Guardiola is not yet prepared to start the celebrations as his side would not be the first to slip up from a seemingly unassailable position.
"It can happen. Football is emotional. We can only try to focus and win at Tottenham and then Swansea," he told reporters. "The fact is that since November or December we were already champions. When I heard pundits and fans in November they said it's all done, it's impossible for City to drop points.
"In one week we lost three games, that happened. We are able to win the two games [we need to confirm the title] and we will do that. We handled the pressure between the good and bad moments for the entire season, not just in this period. Dealing with the end of season pressure is good for our future. We have to handle that.
"If we are not able to in the end and United win the league then all we can says is 'congratulations'. Of course it can happen, I assure you. Real Madrid, many years ago, lose six games in a row and didn't win the league. Of course it can happen, no doubts about that. The players know that, I don't need to tell them.
"Never before in the NBA had one team in the final recovered from 3-1 down. One year ago Cavaliers won 4-3 against Golden State Warriors, winning three games in a row. It's in hour hands, that is the good advantage. If we lose it will be in the same way we tried to play against United and Liverpool. Congratulations to the opponents if they beat us."
City have lost back-to-back league games just once before under Guardiola - against Chelsea and Leicester City in December 2016.
Daniel Lewis
