Pep Guardiola makes Arsenal and Liverpool 'biggest difference' admission after Man City win

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola spoke about where his Premier League title contenders trail rival side Arsenal and Liverpool

Pep Guardiola has told his Manchester City players they need to match Liverpool and Arsenal across 90 minutes as the title race races to the finish line.

The Premier League champions thrashed Luton 5-1 on Saturday to spend a night on top of the table for the first time since November, and while Liverpool and Arsenal suffered a shock home defeats against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa respectively, it still leaves little margin for error with just six league games left for each team and all of them involved in European competition as well.

City added two late goals against Luton to add gloss to their scoreline - as well as improve their goal difference - and Guardiola commented after the game how strong Liverpool and Arsenal are at finishing matches. Even with their two from Saturday, City have scored 14 in the final 10 minutes of matches this season but conceded eight; the records of Arsenal (15-7) and Liverpool (19-3) are far superior.

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"The contenders we have with Arsenal and Liverpool, we cannot draw many games. That is why we are still there," said Guardiola.

"The only biggest difference between Arsenal, Liverpool against us is that they won a lot of points in stoppage-time. A lot. That helped them be in the position they are.

"Of course all three teams have had incredible seasons, all three. But they won a lot of points for the talent they have because of [late goals]. It happened for Liverpool many times in the last eight years and for Arsenal many times because of their talent.

"It is a credit to them, not the opposite. In those departments they are much better than us, but still we are there."

Despite their relative lack of late goals, City have found goalscoring form in recent weeks by scoring early in games. Since drawing a blank against Arsenal, they have scored their first goal in the 11th minute against Villa, the 13th against Palace, and then the second against both Real Madrid and Luton.

Those four matches have brought 16 goals and have pushed City further along in their incredible quest to retain the Treble, with knockout matches against Real Madrid and Chelsea this week that will determine whether they have one, two, or still three trophies left to play for by the end of it. Whatever happens, Guardiola has been thrilled with how his players have risen to the challenge.

"What a privilege. I could not change our position for any other team," said Guardiola. "What we have done this season, we live for that. Playing for something, not playing for other things - the big trophies. And still we are there. Again, it is so good."