Players told to heed lesson of Liverpool

Pep Guardiola warned his Manchester City players to look at Liverpool’s recent defeats as an example of what can happen to them in the remaining weeks of this title race.

City strolled past Brighton to continue their march towards the title, but Guardiola wants his players to see Liverpool’s losses to Crystal Palace and Everton as proof that nothing is guaranteed.

City are now one point behind league leaders Arsenal, with a game in hand, before their trip to face Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

“What happened to Liverpool, I said to the players, can happen to us,” said Guardiola. “It can happen to Arsenal. People don’t expect them [Liverpool] to lose against Crystal Palace and yesterday [at Everton] but it can happen. And to us. It’s football.

“We arrive at 2am at home and then we fly to Nottingham for another one, we win the game, we know what we have to do to fight until the end and be champions.

“Everton is playing [to avoid] the relegation zone, quite a similar game to what we will have at Nottingham Forest, and they play for their lives.”

Guardiola said his admiration for Liverpool was greater than it ever has been and added that Jurgen Klopp’s side will continue to challenge his team in this title race until the end of the season.

“My appreciation of Liverpool is higher than ever,” said Guardiola. “Still they are there because I know the character from the Liverpool institution and team. They are going to fight until the end. We have to do it, too. We have been here in the past, but it doesn’t mean it is going to happen [win the title]. We have to make it happen.”

Roberto De Zerbi, the Brighton head coach, said: “We played against, I think, one of the best teams in the world. We tried to play with our DNA and our characteristics, respecting our quality. We conceded all four goals in a bad way.”