City must show knockout mindset
Guardiola tells team to draw experience from 2019 when they won title by a point
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LONDON • Manchester City will approach all their remaining Premier League matches like finals in a bid to stave off challengers Liverpool, manager Pep Guardiola said yesterday, adding that they must use their experience of negotiating close title races.
The English top-flight leaders, chasing their fourth title in five years, have collected 77 points from 32 matches for a one-point lead over a relentless Liverpool side looking to deny them back-to-back league titles en route to an unprecedented quadruple.
Those factors mean his team have to develop a knockout mindset with six league games remaining for either side.
"Definitely. We can't drop points but they can't either," Guardiola said ahead of today's home game against 19th-placed Watford, who are locked in a battle to avoid relegation.
City and Liverpool were involved in a similar title race three years ago when Guardiola's side pipped the Reds by a point on the final day as both teams went unbeaten in the home stretch of the campaign, and an identical 100 per cent run will be required again.
"The players know it, we were in this position before. We played a final versus Brighton to be able to play another.
"If we win (today), we have a chance to play another," said Guardiola, whose side are also in the Champions League semi-finals and take on runaway La Liga leaders Real Madrid next week.
"(We will) try to recover injured players, be fresh in the mind. When we finish tomorrow, another game in three days in the Champions League (against Real Madrid). Then Leeds. We have to be fresh, relaxed and ready for the moment of the game.
"We have to win but perform to win, the result doesn't come for granted. But winning is the most important thing now."
The Hornets have lost their past three league games, leaving them eight points from safety with six games to go. An immediate return to the Championship after just one campaign appears likely.
But Guardiola does not want any complacency to creep into his squad, calling on his players to impose their will on the visitors from the get-go.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
TODAY
Arsenal v Man United
Ch102 & Ch227, 7.30pm
Man City v Watford
Ch102 & Ch227, 10pm
Leicester v Villa
Ch103 & Ch228, 9.50pm
Norwich v Newcastle
Ch104 & Ch229, 9.50pm
Brentford v Tottenham
Ch102 & Ch227,
tomorrow, 12.30am
TOMORROW
Chelsea v West Ham
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Liverpool v Everton
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Burnley v Wolves
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Brighton v Southampton
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STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
1 Man City 32 24 5 3 75 20 77
2 Liverpool 32 23 7 2 83 22 76
3 Chelsea 31 18 8 5 66 27 62
4 Tottenham 32 18 3 11 56 38 57
5 Arsenal 32 18 3 11 49 39 57
6 Man Utd 33 15 9 9 52 48 54
7 West Ham 33 15 7 11 52 43 52
8 Wolves 32 15 4 13 33 28 49
9 Leicester 31 11 8 12 47 51 41
10 Brighton 33 9 13 11 29 40 40
11 Newcastle 33 10 10 13 37 55 40
12 Brentford 33 11 6 16 41 49 39
13 Southampton 33 9 12 12 38 54 39
14 Crystal Palace 32 8 13 11 43 41 37
15 Aston Villa 31 11 3 17 42 46 36
16 Leeds 32 8 9 15 38 68 33
17 Everton 31 8 5 18 34 53 29
18 Burnley 32 5 13 14 28 45 28
19 Watford 32 6 4 22 30 62 22
20 Norwich 32 5 6 21 22 66 21
"Roy Hodgson has incredible experience as a manager. Every game has the same importance. Watford have their quality, their physicality up front. We will be ourselves and try to get three points," he said.
Guardiola also touched on the appointment of Erik ten Hag as Manchester United's new manager from next season, saying: "Watch his Ajax team and you see his qualities. Congratulations to Erik and wish him all the best. A top-class manager, his teams are a joy to watch at a team like Ajax."
Kyle Walker, who missed the midweek game because of injury, will be assessed ahead of the match, while fellow defenders John Stones and Nathan Ake, who were substituted against the Seagulls, also face late fitness tests due to niggles.
REUTERS
MAN CITY V WATFORD
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, 10pm
