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Pep Guardiola: Liverpool might be best team in world right now, says Man City boss

Last updated on .From the section Man Citycomments469

Man City chasing best team in Europe - Guardiola

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City have to "accept" that title rivals Liverpool could be the "best team in the world right now".

Defending champions City, who beat Southampton 3-1 on Sunday, go into Thursday's home game against Liverpool seven points adrift of the Reds.

"The problem is the other team is fantastic," Guardiola told BBC Sport.

"[Liverpool are] maybe the best team in Europe or the world right now and in top form."

While City have suffered defeats against Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Leicester in December, Liverpool have won all seven league games they have played.

They ended 2018 in style, beating Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield to briefly go 10 points clear of City.

Speaking about Liverpool's ability, Guardiola added: "You have to accept it. All we can do is do our job, play our games and after that we will see."

In addition to their dominant position in the league, Liverpool have a recent edge over City because they knocked the Blues out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals last season.

If the Reds were to win on Thursday, they would restore their 10-point cushion and become heavy favourites to win a first league title since 1990.

City captain Vincent Kompany said the game against the league leaders is the type of match "you live for".

"Our pride has been hurt over recent weeks but we have everything to play for. It depends on us," Kompany told Sky Sports.

"Every living soul that comes into the stadium has to be ready to fight and give it to them [Liverpool], and we should be able to pull everything out of the locker for that game."

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469 comments

  • Comment posted by sirbond, at 17:58 30 Dec 2018

    most of us Liverpool fans know the title aint won until its mathematically impossible to be caught.

  • Comment posted by Emkay, at 17:44 30 Dec 2018

    I am an Arsenal supporter, we won't win the PL this year, and out of all the other contenders I would most like Liverpool to win it. Brings back memories of the 80's and Michael Thomas's last minute goal to break the Anfield dominancy. Welcome back. I would also like to see LUFC promoted this year. It has been far too long without their company.

  • Comment posted by Jonesey, at 18:24 30 Dec 2018

    Obsessed with the fact Liverpool splashed a bit of cash. Nobody else's cash, but their own. Selling Coutinho, long run in the Champions League. 5 teams have alarger net spend than LFC in the last 5 years, including their neighbours. Coutinho almost exactly paid for van Dijk, Alisson and Shaqiri. Without that sale, those 3 don't come in. LFC doing excellent business, on and off the field.

  • Comment posted by AJ94, at 17:50 30 Dec 2018

    Cheers Pep. Currently we are. Until you lost to Palace and Leicester everyone was kissing your teams backside like there's no tomorrow saying the same thing. It can all change VERY quickly. Most of us LFC fans are grounded. Let's see what happens. It's only half-way. #YNWA

  • Comment posted by Billy Goat Gruff, at 19:06 30 Dec 2018

    Spurs capitalized on Bale and Liverpool did the same with Coutinho, using the money to produce a mean defensive unit.

    VVD and Allison were cheap as chips when you factor in the sale.

    Yes, Liverpool are rich, but not mega rich like City, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real or PSG (to name a few)

    I am no Liverpool supporter and never have been, but you do have to admire what Klopp is doing.

  • Comment posted by LiverpoolFanatic, at 18:00 30 Dec 2018

    Huge huge game on Thursday. If we can come away from the Etihad with our unbeaten record still intact I'll be more than happy.

  • Comment posted by Six Stars, at 17:56 30 Dec 2018

    Both teams are playing fantastic football right now.

    Thursday should be a belter.

  • Comment posted by CriticalPoint, at 18:06 30 Dec 2018

    I think Barca are the best at the minute, but at least Liverpool are a proper football team and not an exhibition of oil money...

  • Comment posted by Rob, at 18:35 30 Dec 2018

    premier league net spend over the last 5 seasons

    1, Man City £508 million
    2, Man Utd £400 million
    3, Chelsea £243 million
    4, Arsenal £222 million
    5, Everton £203 million
    6, Liverpool £178 million

    Tottenham are 18th with a net spend of £18 million

  • Comment posted by abidewithme, at 18:08 30 Dec 2018

    Having watched the game, I have just one observation....are City fans capable of making up their own songs? Or will they continue to plagiarise Liverpool's?

  • Comment posted by U15774044, at 19:48 30 Dec 2018

    The truth is that the current top 2 sides in the country go head to head next Thursday. Football is the winner whatever the result. The fans of both clubs will have a ball & be entertained.

    Yes there are those that now see football as mini civil wars, changing lives.
    No it's football, there to be enjoyed by those that love the game.

    Hate, well it's really for the bad losers & troll's etc.

  • Comment posted by js1973, at 17:47 30 Dec 2018

    That's very kind of Guardiola. Man City aren't half bad either.

  • Comment posted by BishBashBosh, at 18:00 30 Dec 2018

    4. Posted by Arsenalwillwintheleaguemarkmywords on
    9 minutes ago
    Don't know what other fans expected. Get rid of Wenger the best manager of the premier League era and you can't be surprised at a 5-1 drubbing by Liverpool whom we used to beat with ease on a regular basis

    I suggest you check the records then Liverpool 20....drawn 19...Arse 15 wins
    Goals liverpool 87 arsenal 68 :)

  • Comment posted by mal123, at 18:05 30 Dec 2018

    Nice to receive the compliment but we'll take the three points instead!

  • Comment posted by FaujiSingh, at 18:24 30 Dec 2018

    LilythePinky I didn't say we haven't spent a lot I just pointed out the key reason of it. Barca sold Neymar and bought Coutinho, that doesn't mean they broke the bank it just means they replaced talent with talent for the equivalent amount of money. We chose not to directly replace Coutinho, instead we spent it on other key positions. Klopp was extremely smart, other managers would have replaced.

  • Comment posted by O C, at 18:04 30 Dec 2018

    To 26 Colonel Mustard who said:

    Oh nice one pep!!!

    Talk about fueling the fire of the most arrogant, deluded fans on the planet.....

    Just what the rest of us need to hear NOT

    ---

    I'm pretty sure you are confused. The most arrogant fans? He didn't say ManU are the best team in the world right now.

  • Comment posted by Rick O Shea, at 17:58 30 Dec 2018

    Pressure's more on City. Will be an interesting tactical battle and very tasty potential 6 pointer. May the best team win (Liverpool).

  • Comment posted by paisley, at 17:59 30 Dec 2018

    LFC certainly are the best team in Britain bar none

  • Comment posted by Them, at 22:13 30 Dec 2018

    274. ste66.
    Most Liverpool fans me including, are saying even if we win Thursday it's still going to be far from over, it's only fools like Robbie Savage who think the titles over this early in the season

  • Comment posted by Alex, at 18:44 30 Dec 2018

    "Every living soul that comes into the stadium has to be ready to fight and give it to them [Liverpool], and we should be able to pull everything out of the locker for that game."

    Pfft. Good luck with that Vincent. The Etihad is about as intimidating as Delia Smith.

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