Man City boss Pep Guardiola has made a fresh Premier League title prediction amid the differing form of Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks.
The Citizens have moved back into contention in recent weeks with Man City quietly going about their business in the background as Liverpool and Arsenal have grabbed all the headlines for different reasons.
Man City have won four of their last five Premier League matches to put them three points behind leaders Arsenal ahead of their Sunday fixtures.
There is a chance that Guardiola’s side end up top of the Premier League table at the end of Sunday if Arsenal lose to Crystal Palace and Man City beat Aston Villa.
After five wins from five to start the season, Liverpool have dropped down to sixth in the standings after losing their last four in the Premier League.
Despite their disastrous run of form, Guardiola still has Arne Slot’s side down as “one of the main favourites” and he reckons Arsenal are “not going to drop much points”.
Guardiola told Hayters TV: “In the Premier League, I have the feeling now that Arsenal is not going to drop much points. So that is the reality. I have that feeling with Arsenal, with Liverpool as well.
“Now Liverpool lost their last games, not in the Champions League in Frankfurt. But I saw the game against United, they had incredible chances to win the game.
“So I think Liverpool remain one of the main favourites to do that. And the distance, three, four points at this stage is nothing.
“I always had the feeling that both teams and maybe another one, they will lose few, few points.
“That’s why we have to be there.”
Erling Haaland has scored 15 goals in 11 appearances in all competitions this season for Man City and Guardiola insists the Norway international “feels fit” as he prepares to start his third match in eight days.
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When asked about the possibility of resting Haaland, Guardiola replied: “I’m so sorry for my colleague Solbakken, the national team manager from Norway, but I’m not thinking about that.
“So maybe at the end. We win the Premier League for ten points in front, ten fixtures before and after that he will take a rest. But now he feels fit, he feels fine.
“We are in the position right now, Champions League is massively important.
“The games we have played so far and the next two games, like the next two games at home, they will give us the real chance to finish in the first eight.”