Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes this Liverpool team has made its own luck in the Premier League title race this season.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds were gifted all three points at home to Spurs last Sunday when Hugo Lloris spilled a last-minute Mohamed Salah header onto the boot of Toby Alderweireld. The Belgian defender couldn’t react in time to the loose ball and could only watch on in horror as it rolled over the line.
Anfield erupted as Liverpool went on to take the three points, putting them back on top of the Premier League, two points clear of Manchester City having played a game more.
Guardiola was asked at his pre-Cardiff press conference on Tuesday if he felt that luck was on the side of the Merseyside club. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss had a very rational response.
“It happened three or four times because they have something special.
“Once maybe it is luck, the second time is luck but to happen three or four or five times it is because they have something special.”
Guardiola also insisted that at the end of the season, the league table generally tells no lies.
“I think the Premier League is fair in the end, you win some points, you have penalties sometimes against and sometimes in your favour – it’s what it is.
“I would prefer them to drop points in that situation but I am pretty sure Pickford wanted to save that ball and Lloris would save that ball but it’s football.
“We are two behind, we can be one in front but our destiny is in our hands. I’m not wasting my time thinking ‘They were lucky here there and everywhere’. That doesn’t give you an extra point an extra thing to improve in the future.”
City play their game-in-hand tonight at home to 18th-place Cardiff. The Bluebirds are priced at a huge 40/1 to win the game. It’s even 18/1 for the game to be a draw, showing the gulf in class between Manchester City and those struggling against relegation.
Chances are City will be back on top by a single point at the end of the Cardiff game. Liverpool then travel to play Southampton at St Mary’s on Friday night.
To check out our Southampton v Liverpool match preview, click here.
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