- City coach says his side will never give up their title without a battle.
- Defending champions face Chelsea on Sunday after Reds face Bournemouth the day before.
LONDON: Pep Guardiola has warned Liverpool they need to fight to the death to win the Premier League as his Manchester City side will not give up.
The Abu Dhabi-owned club beat Everton 2-0 on Wednesday to go top of the table on goal difference barely a month after the Reds could have gone 10 points clear.
Liverpool may have a game in hand but the City coach is now confident his side have the grit and determination — to go along with their undoubted flair and attacking prowess — to defend their title after many were questioning the team’s character.
“We have a game every three days for three months. I don’t know how far we will get, maybe we will die in the road, but we are trying,” Guardiola said.
“We have played one more game than Liverpool. It’s good to be top but Liverpool has a game at Old Trafford.
“I don’t think too much about that but four or five days ago we could have been seven points behind, it is a lesson to not give up.”
While he often maintains a cool, calm exterior there is little doubting the recent questioning of City’s temperament annoyed Guardiola.
“We come from champions and we are in a situation where we could have given up but it didn’t happen,” the Spaniard said.
“We gave an incredible game against Liverpool. These players have shown incredible desire and performances for the last two years. How could I question them?”
Next up for City is a home clash against Chelsea on Sunday, while Liverpool face Bournemouth at Anfield.
“We have an incredible test on Sunday against Chelsea,” Guardiola said.
In City and Guardiola’s favor is the return to form of Kevin de Bruyne. The Belgian was sidelined for most of the first half of the season with a knee injury and against Everton was used off the bench. But sure to start against Chelsea Guardiola is excited about he impact the winger can have.
“He had a good kick in his last game and I didn’t want extra, I prefer a few minutes to 90 minutes from Kevin and maybe he will be fresh for Sunday,” the coach said.
“What I like, especially from Kevin, he came on and he was incredible.
“You don’t win football competitions with 11 players. The players that come on after, sometimes I read which players can help us make a (difference) because some players don’t play good from the bench.”