VINNY: CITY WON’T TAKE TITLE AS RED
VINCENT KOMPANY admits Manchester United are inspiring his side’s title charge.
Pep Guardiola’s men have galloped into a commanding 12-point lead at the top of the table following a stunning run of 17 straight wins.
Few people give any of their rivals a chance of catching City in the race to become Premier League champions. Some bookmakers even paid out before Christmas on the billionaires becoming champions.
But Kompany says he has been around too long to take anything for granted and recalled how United blew the title back in 2012.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s men were eight points clear of City with just six games remaining, but made a hash of things to allow their neighbours to pip them to the title.
Kompany said: “I don’t know if everyone will remember, but it was six games left and we were eight points behind.
“So that’s why I am always the first to come in and say, ‘No guys, we can’t really take the foot off the gas’.
“I really don’t want that. We push, we push, we push and no-one has the right to let their guard down.”
Guardiola’s side face Newcastle tonight and Kompany admits he is ®
Guard
® struggling to come to terms with the fact that City are so far ahead.
The Belgian added: “I don’t know how it feels to be honest. It’s the first time we have been ahead like this.
“It’s just that thing where you still feel it’s a bit too early to draw any conclusions.
“We just have to keep it up. It’s the first thing you think about.
“When you are on such a run you almost want to put it aside straight away and think about the next one, because you know how little it takes to lose that special feeling.
“We are in a position where we can just focus on our football, not anything else, and winning the game and having the performance at the same time. The desire to win is there.”