Pep Guardiola dismissed discussion of Liverpool recovering a 14-point deficit to Manchester City, claiming the January gap “was fake” due to the Reds’ games in hand.
There is just a point between leaders City and second-placed Liverpool heading into their encounter on Sunday, which many are billing as a title decider.
But back in mid-January, Liverpool were in third, 14 points behind City – who had a 13-point advantage over Chelsea.
Should Liverpool go on to win the Premier League title, this season would mark the greatest comeback in terms of points, breaking the 1997-98 record held by Arsenal.
The Gunners, in their first Premier League title-winning campaign, were 13 points behind pace-setters Manchester United in sixth in late December. They also had a game in hand.
Although topped by Arsenal, perhaps the most notable collapse in the competition’s history saw Newcastle United 12 points clear of United in January of the 1995-96 season. Kevin Keegan’s side, who finished second, had played the same number of games as their title rivals.
“I’m going to tell you something: 14 points, it was fake. You were wrong,” Guardiola said ahead of the game at the Etihad Stadium. “[Liverpool] had two more games in hand. It’s fake.”
The City manager therefore refused to criticise his team for allowing that significant gap to be closed.
“I have to analyse the games where we dropped points — Crystal Palace, especially, and Southampton,” he said.
“We were brilliant, I would say more than brilliant. We were not effective, we were not clinical, but we were brilliant.
“We won against Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals 4-1. It was miles away worse, worse than the game where we drew 1-1 when we could’ve won 4-1. But it’s football, it’s unpredictable.
“It was the same with Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, and we were amazing the way we played. It’s football.”
And Guardiola is not surprised by Liverpool’s recovery, declaring them “one of the best teams in decades”.
“When we were 14 points ahead of Liverpool, even myself I could not believe it because I know the incredible opponent we have to face,” he added.
“It’s Liverpool, one of the best teams in decades in this country, in Europe.
“The reality is one point right now, this is the normal reality. It’s an honour to be there, to fight to beat them to win the Premier League.”
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