We’ll pick ourselves up from Anfield woe DEFIANT JESUS SAYS CITY WILL HUNT DOWN HIGH-FLYING REDS

GABRIEL JESUS believes Manchester City can chase down Liverpool again in the title race.

Jesus says the battle for the league is far from over, despite Jurgen Klopp’s side enjoying a nine-point advantage over the champions and an eight-point cushion over Leicester and Chelsea.

City overturned Liverpool’s seven-point lead at the turn of the year to claim last season’s crown by a single point. They also pipped the Reds, then managed by Brendan Rodgers, for the title in 2014 after the Northern Irishman’s side had been in control with three games remaining.

And a defiant Jesus says City still have plenty of time to claw back Liverpool’s lead with more than two-thirds of the campaign to go. “There are 26 matches left and that’s a long way out even to think who will win the Premier League,” said the Brazil striker.

“Liverpool are playing really well. They were beaten only once last season but we will take them on and keep fighting for the title again.

“We will try to do our maximum and we will recover. We know we have the capacity to do this. Obviously, we want to win the championship.”

Jesus, 22, has put the domestic title race to one side to focus on

Brazil’s friendly against Argentina in Riyadh tonight and he has jokingly warned City team-mate Nicolas Otamendi that he will respond if the centre-half “bumps” him.

“I talked to Otamendi. I was joking with him, I said if he bumped me, I would give it back,” Jesus said. “When we are together at our club, we all swim in the same direction.

“Now I defend my country and they defend their own country. Let them do their best, but there is rivalry.”

Jesus will also be up against Sergio Aguero in the Middle East, and said: “It’s always good to play a match of this magnitude – Brazil and Argentina is the greatest soccer classic.

“I always play very hard. Hopefully it is a good show and we will be victorious.”

Jesus’s club-mate Rodri is equally confident about

City’s title chances. He has also praised Pep Guardiola, claiming the manager has already made him a better player since his record £62.8million move from Atletico Madrid in the summer.

Rodri, who is with Spain for tonight’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Malta in Cadiz, says he is learning so much from the manager.

“Since the beginning of the season I have added a lot of new knowledge,” said the midfielder.

“It has helped me a lot that he played in the same position as me. He gives me lots of advice on how he sees football.

“I’m growing a lot – not only tactically but individually in many aspects I wasn’t aware a central midfielder should have, like driving with the ball, which is something that is demanded in the Premier League. “We have the best coach in that

sense.”