After his team’s 2-0 win over Sheffield United on Saturday, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had one thing to say about the Premier League title race – “Liverpool are better.”
Catching up with their rivals to play their 19th match of the season, City overcame 19th-placed Sheffield United with relative ease. It provided a better a better picture of the Premier League standings – albeit briefly – as it meant all of the top four have now reached the halfway stage of the campaign.
Liverpool sit top of the mountain with 42 points in 19 fixtures. Aston Villa have now equalled that tally as they moved up to second with a last-gasp 3-2 win over Burnley at the same time City beat Sheffield United, although that was their 20th game of the season.
City and Arsenal then follow up on 40 points after 19 matches played, Guardiola’s men boasting a superior goal difference to take third for now.
This may doubt change again come Monday night as Arsenal face Fulham on Sunday before the Reds host Newcastle United on New Years’ Day.
The reason the matches played are askew comes down to the fact City were away competing in the Club World Cup earlier this month, though asked to assess the title race as best he can, City’s boss had a blunt reply. “[It is] so tight – we’re not top of the league, Liverpool are better,” Guardiola told Match of the Day.
It remains his hope, though, that his squad can replicate heroics of previous years to storm to the title in strong fashion. “We’ve had injuries and some problems, we won the titles, important ones, our level is really good I would say and we are there,” Guardiola added. “Now rest, we all need it. January is less intense than November and December so we prepare for what’s next.”
At one stage last season Arsenal, whose efforts this time around remained unmentioned by Guardiola here, held an eight-point advantage over City in April, before their late resurgence. Liverpool experienced a similar fate in 2018/19 when they were seven points ahead at the start of January.
