Pep still fears ‘dangerous’ United in race for the title

PEP Guardiola admitted that anything but a win against Aston Villa would have made United ‘dangerous’ in the Premier League run-in.

The Blues hit back from conceding an early goal at Villa Park to take the three points through goals from Phil Foden and Rodri, and move 11 points clear.

That means two wins and a draw from those last five games, given their vastly superior goal difference, will be enough to make it three league titles in four years.

But with talk going into the game of the situation being a reversal of 2012 when United blew an eight-point lead in the last six games to allow City to grab the crown in the dying seconds of the season, Guardiola was well aware of the importance of the victory. “Losing would have made the last games dangerous, because United are in top form, winning a lot, and I have the feeling that if they needed to win, they are going to win,” said Guardiola.

“We deserved to win for the way we have played so far this season to have this advantage, and when you arrive in the last five games depending just on yourself, it is a good boost.” City have been in this position before, and their experience of closing out the season under intense pressure from Liverpool in 2018-19, is important.

“We know exactly what we need and that is the way we played,” said Guardiola.

“I saw the team, they were committed and knew that we were close and after our two defeats in different competitions, we knew how important it was - and for the preparation for the (Carabao Cup) final and for the Champions League game? “It’s close, the most difficult season of our lives we make an incredible consistency and have to finish this chapter and have to finish the few games.”