‘It’s an honour’ - Pep Guardiola responds to Man City title ‘doubts’ after Chelsea draw

Pep Guardiola has said his side do not feel any more pressure following Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea on Saturday that handed Liverpool the advantage in the title race.

City trail Jurgen Klopp’s side by four points but do have a game, although by next week the teams will have played the same number of matches. Saturday's result led to increased media coverage of whether an in-form Liverpool can beat City to the title.

Guardiola feels there is a contradiction in this and said when City win the expectation is they will easily claim another title, but on the rare occasion they drop points there is increased talk of whether the treble-winners’ standards have dropped.

“The last 15 games, we won 13 and drew two and the two we drew we played to win the game. The pressure is the same, no difference,” said the City boss ahead of Tuesday’s game against Brentford.

“I know the standards that we have, we create to be there for what we have done in the past. I understand the doubts of the people but I'm more than satisfied. In the end, I give credit to Chelsea, not just in some actions we were not good but when I analyse the game, in general, we were more than decent. 

“We drew against Chelsea at home and now we have to do it. We won 11 games and people said they're not going to lose another game. Now after just one draw when we were at who we are for 55/60 minutes.”

It’s not the first time Guardiola has been frustrated by media coverage of City this season and when the side went four games without a win earlier this campaign, he also praised the way his team played. On Monday, a clearly irked Guardiola then launched into a three-minute rant in his pre-match press conference, when asked if the questioning City receive is the price of success.

“Absolutely. I have experience from my previous clubs, especially Barcelona,” he replied. “It's an honour, go for it but we have to continue doing what we try. It's normal.

"I am the first to demand that my team do it over 95 minutes but knowing that it is impossible. But how we react and how we were in the game all the time, we were there. We created a lot against Chelsea that lately few teams create. That is my view. It doesn't mean tomorrow will be easier because of the expectations we have against Brentford in the past.

“But you have opportunity to climb to second position to go one point in front of Arsenal and be closer to Liverpool, and there are a lot of games to play. The reality is since we lost against Aston Villa we didn't lose one game and the games we drew we were better. Ninety-five minutes, which team were better against Crystal Palace and Chelsea? We were better and the games we won, we were better. This is my point. 

“Are we going to win the Premier League? I don't know. Are Man City going to win the Premier League in the next 10 years? No, is not going to happen. But we are still there and this is why we continue."