Guardiola hits out at "false" claims as Man City face Champions League threat
Pep Guardiola has admitted Manchester City face the biggest threat to their top-four status this season.
City host Tottenham on Thursday night and Spurs can close to within a point of Guardiola's side in the Premier League with victory at the Etihad Stadium. With leaders Arsenal eight points clear and Manchester United and Newcastle showing no signs of letting up, the Spaniard acknowledged City face a battle to preserve their top-four berth.
City last missed out on a top-four place back in 2010, but Guardiola said the increased competition had made it a real battle for the four Champions League places available.
“When I came here, they said, 'oh, you're in the top four', but I always congratulated ourselves and the team,” said Guardiola. “The people say, 'oh, it's false, this guy is false', but it's wrong.
“People say you have to win the Premier League in November and December, but it's always difficult. So I always give a lot of credit when we've qualified for the last 10 or 11 years in the Champions League every season.
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City are eight points behind Arsenal with 20 games left to play and are likely to have to embark on one of their famed winning runs if they are to make it three titles in a row.
Where will Manchester City finish in the Premier League this season? Have your say in the comments!
Pep Guardiola's side have not lived up to their own standards this season (Getty Images)But Guardiola said City – who won 18 successive league games in 2017 and have twice won 15 in a row – cannot afford to think that far ahead if they want to reel in Arsenal.
“Now is not the time to think how many games you have to win to win the title,” said Guardiola. “Just win the next one. Always try to win it.
“When we won 15 or 18 in a row, we never thought, 'we're going to do this'. That would be wrong. Just prepare for Spurs. It's about the next game, then the next game, to try to get some consistency to win the games. This is what we have to try to do.”
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