Liverpool best team I have faced but Manchester City will not quit, says Rodri

Rodri has described “fearsome” Liverpool as the best team he has faced but warned the Premier League leaders that Manchester City will not give up their title without a fight.

Liverpool have opened a 14-point gap on the defending champions, who have already dropped as many points this term as they did in the whole of 2018-19 when the Reds finished second.

Third-placed City head to Arsenal on Sunday for their next league outing and Rodri, used 14 times in the top flight this season, has urged his team-mates to focus on the task at hand.

The Spain international, who played a full part in last month’s 3-1 defeat at Anfield, told Goal: “On an individual basis I can say that Liverpool are the best team I have faced.

“They dominate at both ends of the field and are very aggressive. They dominate the lines well and that makes them a fearsome team.

Could watch this allllll day

@AvaTrade
 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/ixQnKrR0GN

— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 12, 2019

“They are very good, but anyone can beat them so we are going to fight until the end.

“I don’t know if the goal is to beat Liverpool, who are European champions, as I think you always have to focus on yourself.

“If we focus on Liverpool too much we are wrong. We would better looking at ourselves and play as we did at Atletico under [Diego] Simeone, game by game.

“You can’t stop competing and that’s what [Pep] Guardiola instils in us every day, that every game is a final.”

Here’s how the #PL table looks

Can anybody catch Liverpool?  pic.twitter.com/PIABunV9im

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 9, 2019

Rodri spent one season with Simeone at Atletico Madrid prior to making a reported £62.8million switch to the Etihad Stadium, where he is working under Guardiola.

Asked how the two coaches compare, Rodri said both have the characteristics of “winners” and added: “Simeone is consistency and perseverance. Guardiola is innovative, growing day by day.”