Pep Guardiola insists Liverpool are still in title race after Man City thrash Brighton | Football

Guardiola’s City side moved closer to winning a fourth straight title after thrashing Brighton 4-0 on Thursday night.

Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Julian Alvarez, either side of a Phil Foden brace, sealed the three points in what was a very easy win at the Amex.

As a result, Arsenal remain top of the table but City are now just a point behind with a game in hand.

Liverpool meanwhile are two points further back and many believe their title ambitions are over after shock, back-to-back defeats to Crystal Palace and Everton.

Following the 2-0 loss in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk were very pessimistic about their chances, but Guardiola insists they are still in it.

Asked whether he felt the title race was just between Man City and Arsenal now, the manager told BBC Sport: ‘It is not.

‘What is important is that still we are there. There is a lot of games to play.

‘Many things can happen. We have to rest. Now it is just recover and go on to the next one.’

The result against Brighton has not only closed the gap in points between City and Arsenal but also reduced the gap in goal difference, with the Gunners now on +56 and the Citizens on +48.

As City well know from their first title win, goal difference can be decisive, with Guardiola telling Sky Sports: ‘It 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.’

City travel to the City Ground on Sunday, just after Arsenal play away to arch-rivals Tottenham, while Liverpool are in action on Saturday when they travel to West Ham.

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