Pep Guardiola has hit back at comments made by Jurgen Klopp - and insists his Manchester City side are scrutinised for their failure more than any other side
Earlier this week, the Liverpool boss insisted it would be the "biggest joke in football history" to write off the Etihad outfit
Klopp knows more than most about City's powers of recovery
Guardiola insisted the scrutiny with which City's performances are examined "isn't fair" and is "difficult to handle"
Guardiola:
“The only team who is going to fail by not winning the Premier League is us,”
"For the rest it's a big success - any team. Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea don't win everything - but that's normal.
“City should win. That isn't fair. It's difficult to handle every week, every three days, during years and years.
“(What we have done) is exceptional, but their positions are normal. Just look at our rivals, who want to win once, while for us it's important to always be there - and we have to continue that.
“Bad moments are there, so I never believe in the big compliments and I never believe in the bad situations. In football and in sporting life, the most difficult thing is to win and win and win
“We have done it for many years, where we were the main candidates to win everything.
"When we went out in the Champions League semi-finals it was a big disaster because it wasn't up to our levels. What it meant to us it didn't mean for others, my friends. Not at all.”
Asked how his side would go about play catching up to Liverpool and Arsenal, the City boss said:
Guardiola
“I've got a lot of trust in myself. I will help the team - I don't know how but I'll help the team to come back. Will it be enough? I don't know, the contenders are so strong.
"The consistency of Arsenal over the past two seasons has been amazing and Liverpool are back - and I knew it from day one. I need to step back to realise ‘come on Pep, wake up, there's something wrong'.
“But the Premier League is not lost. Six points? Okay. Arsenal's consistency might be a worry but it's not the end of the world.
“That's why we have to be positive in our minds and the players have to show me they want to accept and embrace the challenge.
"That's what I want to see. It’s a good warning for me. If I'm not able to do it, the club will decide what to do. In the end you have to get results.”
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