Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in dreamland over title claim, says Man City manager Pep Guardiola
City maintain their five-point lead at the top of the English Premier League with 3-2 victory at West Brom
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Pep Guardiola has shot down Jurgen Klopp’s claim that Manchester City will have the title won in January despite their 3-2 victory at West Bromwich Albion.
But he is convinced his team have learned from last season and can bridge the gap after they maintained their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
“Have you ever known a team win the title in January? Me neither. No. Totally unrealistic? Definitely,” he said.
“You cannot win all of the time for five or six months – that is unrealistic, that is not football at the highest level.”
No team has failed to win the title with 28 points from their first 10 games and City extended their club record run to 13 consecutive wins in all competitions and eight in a row in the Premier League.
Leroy Sane and Fernandinho put City in front in the 10th and 15th minutes either side of Jay Rodriguez’s equaliser.
Substitute Raheem Sterling extended City’s advantage with his first touch just after the hour mark before Matt Phillips gave the scoreline a flattering look with a second for the Baggies in added time.
“It is important when you don’t play at the highest level, you are still able to win,” said Guardiola, whose side finished third last season, 15 points adrift of champions Chelsea.
“That is the big difference this season, because last season when we were not playing well, there was no chance to win. Until now that hasn’t happened.
“Our mood is good. We believe we’re going to score goals and that we’re going to concede few.
“The way we played showed me a lot in our performance to remain there.”
Sergio Aguero was kept on the bench and so denied the chance to become City’s outright all-time top scorer.
“You see the bench and you see how many good players there are with Danilo, Sergio, Raheem [Sterling] Yaya [Toure] and [Eliaquim] Mangala,” said Guardiola.
“They compete with each other – [Gabriel] Jesus has to play well because he knows Sergio is there.”
