Pep’s title dig about Liverpool was not right. He needs to relax and enjoy the brilliance of his side

PEP GUARDIOLA has turned Manchester City into English football’s dominant force and they are within touching distance of another century of Premier League goals.

But next time he is tempted to complain that everyone beyond the Etihad wants Liverpool to win the title, he needs a history lesson.

First of all, let’s hand out praise where it’s due.

The Blues will be worthy champions, for the fourth time in five years, if they take four points from their last two games. They play beautiful football.

After the heartbreak of their Champions League semi-final defeat by Real Madrid, they have answered the doubters who thought the hangover would spill into the title run-in by putting 10 goals past Newcastle and Wolves.

If that’s a wobble, I would hate to play City at full throttle.

And if they score six goals in their last two fixtures, against West Ham and Aston Villa, it would be their third century of Premier League goals in the last five seasons.

In their last 188 league games, Pep’s free spirits have struck 483 goals. In December, when they went above Chelsea for the first time at the top of the table, I said City would win the title – and I’m not changing my mind. But the little dig from Guardiola (right) about everyone wanting Jurgen Klopp’s men to beat them to the title was unnecessary – and also way off the mark.

For a start, most Manchester United supporters would probably prefer City to be crowned champions ahead of Liverpool drawing level on 20 titles.

Liverpool Football Club is an international institution with a huge following.

When they play exhibition friendlies anywhere on the planet, they perform to a sea of red. This is not adulation based on winning one title in 30 years, as Guardiola observed.

It goes back through the generations, to 18 previous titles – 13 of them won in 26 years under Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish.

Oh, and they have won the European Cup six times – six times more than City, although I remain convinced Pep will bring them the holy grail sooner or later.

Success on such a colossal scale builds a fanbase organically, both on Merseyside and beyond.

In England, I would say only United have a comparable following – if not slightly larger – across the globe, based on the feats of Sir Matt Busby and nearly 25 years laden with silverware under

Sir Alex

Ferguson. After

Liverpool dominated the 1970s and 1980s,

Fergie came along and ruled the roost decades.

Now, if City make it four titles in five years, they will be established as the dominant force.

Success tends to go in cycles, and I suspect in 10 or 15 years the cast of pundits on TV will reflect City’s domination.

After United’s long reign at the top, Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand are voices of authority on TV now.

In a few years, I’m sure Micah Richards will be joined by a regular cast of City legends in the studio. It will be a sign of their commanding influence on the pitch now.

So relax, Pep. Your team is one of the best we’ve ever seen, not everyone wants Liverpool to win the title and not everyone wants a procession where one team wins it by 20 points every year.

Competition is healthy in football, which wasn’t invented in 1992, when the Premier League came about. Liverpool’s history was richest of all before then. for two

TO dominate English football, Liverpool need to win cups galore – as Manchester City have done in the past decade.

I fancy Jurgen Klopp (below) will complete an FA Cup-league Cup double over Chelsea at Wembley today, simply because they have the momentum and their permutations up front run deeper.

Chelsea are often at their best when underdogs – like the Champions League finals of 2012 against Bayern Munich and 2021 against City – but there is a lot going on in the background at Stamford Bridge.

The takeover saga, persistent doubts about £97.5million striker Romelu Lukaku’s place in the starting XI and patchy form, notably at home, do not scream stability.

But while the Quadruple, which would make Klopp’s team the greatest ever assembled in Britain, is a possibility, Liverpool must go for it. Even if the title escapes them, three cups would still make it a memorable season.

The Blues will be worthy champions if they take four points from last two games. They play beautiful football