Pep Guardiola has warned his players against underperformance by laying down the importance of getting a favorable outcome in the impending clash with Liverpool. The Spanish manager insists that his side's Premier League title defense could be virtually 'over' should it fail to beat Jurgen Klopp's men on Thursday.
Manchester City bounced back from successive defeats against Crystal Palace and Leicester City to clinch a 3-1 win in its last Premier League game of the year against Southampton. Goals from David Silva, Sergio Aguero, and a Ward-Prowse own-goal ensured that the Citizens' cut down the point gap established by league leaders Liverpool to seven.
A win over the undefeated Reds at Etihad will reduce the deficit to just four points with 17 matches left to play. However, Pep Guardiola reckons that a defeat will place his side in an almost impossible situation to fight back for the league title.
"We knew it that with the position of Liverpool if we drop points then it is over, it is finished," the City boss said after the win over Southampton.
"It would be almost impossible. Of course, they are going to drop points but not too many. If you want to be there as far as possible until the end, we have to remember what happened last season and this as well – apart from the last few days.
"Sometimes we need to refresh our principles, sometimes we need defeats to realize but I had that feeling that the first round of games is amazing, it's good in terms of results and playing because it's not easy after 100 points," Guardiola said.
"We won a lot of games but unfortunately we lost two and we have a rival who at the moment is the best team in Europe, or in the world.
"That's why it's a challenge for us next Thursday, to try and win and sustain this position as far as possible to arrive at the end of the season fighting for the title.
"We're not here to send a message, Liverpool knows what they have to do, we know what we have to do next Thursday," he added.
"I know the distance is big, seven points, especially because they're so solid and consistent, but we're at home, hopefully, our extra help from our people at the Etihad can help, they can support us. Not just for the game, but these players deserve it.
"What they have done in the last 14 or 15 months, how they defend this club, is incredible, it's massive."
