PEP CALL IS DON’T LOOK FAR AHEAD

PEP GUARDIOLA has warned his players not to get ahead of themselves in their quest to win the Premier League.

City can go top with victory at West Brom, replacing rivals Manchester United at the summit at the halfway stage of the campaign.

Guardiola’s side have won their last six games in the league, part of a formidable 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

After West Brom, City face Sheffield United and Burnley, before going to champions and title rivals Liverpool on February 7. But Guardiola (above) has urged his players to not risk coming unstuck by looking too far ahead.

“The best advice is to focus on the next one,” said Guardiola. “It’s not about Sheffield United or Burnley, but West Brom. This is the only concern.

“Focus on what’s in front of you – this is the only way. I never ask the players to win four, five or six games in a row. Just win the next one and after that we’ll see how many we can win.”

Although City can go top tonight, they could be replaced by United tomorrow, if they beat Sheffield United at home.

Guardiola said going top was irrelevant at this stage.

“The players have to know that we’re not first in the table, they have to know how difficult it is to get up there and stay there,” added the City boss.

City are still without Sergio Aguero, whose return from a knee injury was halted after he tested positive for Covid-19.

After tonight, six of West Brom’s next eight games are against sides in the bottom eight and boss Sam Allardyce (above) said: “We can play to our best against Man City, but if they beat us it wouldn’t be a shock.

“But then we’ve games coming up where it’s extremely important we don’t lose.”

WEST BROM: Johnstone, O’shea, Ajayi, Bartley, Gibbs, Snodgrass, Livermore, Gallagher, Pereira, Grosicki, Robinson.

MAN CITY: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Cancelo, Gunogan, Rodri, Bernardo, Sterling, Jesus, Foden.