Pep Guardiola warns title bid ‘over’ if Manchester City lose to West Ham
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When they play West Ham on March 14, City manager Pep Guardiola and his team will have to bounce back from the disappointment of a 3-0 Champions League drubbing at the hands of Real Madrid on March 11.
PHOTO: EPA
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- Guardiola said Man City's title challenge "will be over" if they lose to West Ham on March 14, highlighting the Premier League's difficulty.
- Man City are second, seven points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, while West Ham fights relegation, intensifying their match importance.
- Despite a 3-0 loss to Real Madrid, Guardiola focuses on the West Ham game, emphasising that "if we drop points, it'll be over".
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MANCHESTER, England - Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge “will be over” if they fail to beat resurgent West Ham on March 14.
City could kick off at the London Stadium 10 points behind leaders Arsenal should the Gunners beat Everton earlier in the day.
Guardiola’s men have a game in hand on the Gunners and home advantage when the sides meet in April.
But they must bounce back from the disappointment of a 3-0 Champions League drubbing at the hands of Real Madrid on March 11 that means their chances of progressing to the quarter-finals are slim.
“The league was the most difficult title,” Guardiola said March 13. “So the Premier League always, I believe, is the most difficult one and still we are there, knowing that if we drop points, it’ll be over.”
The City boss has won six Premier League titles in his nine previous seasons in England.
But his team were well off the pace last season, finishing 13 points behind champions Liverpool, in third spot.
“Now it is a pleasure to be here. Last season, we could not live that in this stage, so it’s nice,” said Guardiola.
“Always I said when I arrived in the last 10 games every team plays for something – for relegation, for Europa League, for Conference League, for Champions League, to be champions.
“So it’s normal. Now it is no second chances.”
West Ham remain in the relegation zone, but have lost just two of their past 11 games in all competitions to climb to within one point of safety and reach the FA Cup quarter-finals. AFP
