Back on top, Guardiola expects more twists and turns in title race

lIVeRpool (Reuters) – manchester City is back on top of the premier league, but manager pep Guardiola certainly does not expect anything like a repeat of last season’s procession to the title.

After a 2-0 win at everton on Wednesday, City is ahead of liverpool on goal difference with Guardiola’s side having played one more game than juergen Klopp’s challenger. tottenham hotspur are five points behind the leading pair.

last year City won the title by 19 points and during the latter stages of the campaign, it was a case of when, not if, it would be crowned champion.

but while that is clearly not the case this year, Guardiola, a title winner in spain and Germany as well as england, knows that City’s return to the pinnacle does not mean much.

“We are leaders, but 12 games to play, a lot of games. I think we are going to drop points, hopefully less than the other teams. I don’t think any team will win all 12 games,” he said. “We have played one more game than liverpool and if they win their game in hand we are not top,” he said.

“but being top is much better. liverpool has to play this game.

“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 never give up,” he added.

Guardiola’s side is two thirds through a tough week, which saw it beat Arsenal and now pits it against Chelsea at the etihad on sunday.

Chelsea, which has lost its last two away league games, has never lost three in a row in the premier league era.

Guardiola knows that liverpool, which after its draw at West ham on monday will expect three points from its home game against bournemouth on saturday, has plenty of hurdles ahead of it.

“liverpool has to go to old trafford,” he said, looking ahead to its away trip to manchester united on February 24 – the day City will be at Wembley for the league Cup final against Chelsea.

“I don’t know how far we will get, maybe we will die on the road, but we are trying,” he said.

In other weekend action, Fulham hosts manchester united on saturday. Fulham has beaten united only three times in 27 premier league games, last winning in December 2009.

united is undefeated since ole Gunnar solskjaer’s appointment, winning seven of its last eight league matches.

Fulham has won four home games this season, but only against opponents in the bottom half of the table.

Arsenal visits huddersfield town, which has not beaten the Gunners in all competitions since a league win in 1971.

Arsenal is the only team yet to keep a clean sheet in an away league game this season, but has not won an away league match since November.

huddersfield has lost its last six league matches at home, conceding 12 goals.

liverpool will look to jump back into first place when it hosts bournemouth, which has lost its last seven away league matches and nine in 12 this season.

the Reds are undefeated at Anfield in their last 33 league matches, and mohamed salah leads the league scoring charts with 16 goals.

on sunday, tottenham hosts leicester City. spurs are yet to draw a league game this season and have won nine of their last 11 in the league.

leicester striker jamie Vardy has four goals and three assists against spurs in their last seven league encounters, while tottenham forward son heung-min has 10 goals and five assists in 19 league appearances this season.

the Foxes have won only once in their last 11 league games in london, a 1-0 win over Chelsea in December last year.

tottenham’s last three league games were won by a one-goal margin.