Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola pointed out that Liverpool’s unexpected loss to Everton acted as a wake-up call for his team before their dominant 4-0 victory against Brighton.
With goals from Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, and Julian Alvarez, City not only closed the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal but also overtook Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to claim the second spot.
With Manchester City out of Premier League action for 12 days, both Arsenal and Liverpool had surpassed Pep Guardiola’s side in the standings during this period.
We're now on WhatsApp. Click here to join.
However, with the knowledge that six victories would secure another title, City showcased their ruthless nature on the south coast, defeating a Brighton side that had only been beaten twice at home this season.
Read Also: Mauricio Pochettino Slams Chelsea Players for ‘Giving Up’ in 5-0 Loss to Arsenal
A first-half onslaught from City saw Kevin De Bruyne open the scoring before Phil Foden netted two quick goals securing a commanding lead by halftime.
Julian Alvarez added a fourth after the break, bringing City within one point of Arsenal.
City now requires just five more league wins to clinch a fourth consecutive title after recent setbacks in the FA Cup and Champions League.
This convincing win came shortly after Liverpool’s consecutive defeats, first against Crystal Palace and then against Everton, which saw them slip further behind in the title race.
Guardiola’s title Race Uncertainty: “It Can Happen to Us or Arsenal
Guardiola emphasized to his players that Liverpool’s situation could easily be theirs or Arsenal’s, underscoring the need for vigilance throughout the remainder of the season.
“I told the players that what happened to Liverpool could happen to us or Arsenal,” Guardiola stated, acknowledging the unpredictability of the title race.”
“People didn’t expect them to lose against Crystal Palace and yesterday but it can happen to us – it’s football.”
“Everton is playing to avoid the relegation zone and we have a similar game at Nottingham Forest (on Sunday) and they play for their lives.”
“Maybe because they were a real contender of ours for many years, my appreciation for Liverpool is higher than ever.”
“Still it (the title) is there (for Liverpool) because I know the character of their team. They are going to fight until the end and we have to do it too.”
Guardiola, in pursuit of a fourth consecutive top-flight title and sixth in seven seasons, is uncertain whether past successes will give his team an advantage in the final stages of the campaign.
“I would love to say yes, but I don’t know,” he admitted.”
“What we have done in the past doesn’t mean it’s going to happen in the future. To do it again, you have to make it happen. We know what we’re playing for.”
“We know that if we don’t win or we draw, we will not have chance to fight until the end, so of course the pressure is there, otherwise we cannot perform that well.”
“[The Arsenal goal difference advantage] is difficult to cut, the margin is so big. They score a lot of goals and don’t concede.”
“The main thing is to win the game. We have five games left and they are tough ones. One game at a time. Now recover and then Nottingham Forest.”
Brighton had reasons to feel hard done by, especially with the free-kick that led to Foden’s goal, and a later penalty appeal that was waved off when Joao Pedro seemed to be fouled by Josko Gvardiol.
However, despite these moments, 11th-placed Brighton couldn’t argue with the result, which further dents their hopes for a European spot.
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, despite his team’s injury woes and a winless streak now at five games, refused to blame the officiating for their struggles.
“We played against one of the best teams in the world,” the Italian said.
“We tried to play without DNA, respecting our qualities. We conceded the first, the second, the third, the fourth all in a bad way, we made mistakes.”
“I’m frustrated because we can’t compete against the big teams in this moment and we have to be honest.”
“We didn’t lose for the referee’s responsibilities.”
Manchester City has now climbed to second place in the league table, trailing Arsenal by just one point.
Despite having played one game less, Arsenal maintains a superior goal difference of +8 at this stage. Meanwhile, Liverpool has dropped to third place.
What’s next for Man City and Arsenal
City will face Nottingham Forest away on Sunday, with kickoff set for 16:30 (UK time).
Earlier on the same day, Arsenal will play Tottenham, bringing the Premier League title race closer to an exciting climax.
Following this, City will host Wolves at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, May 4th, with kickoff at 17:30.
