Pep Guardiola has ‘congratulated’ rivals Liverpool on winning the Premier League title after Manchester City’s defeat to Norwich.
The City manager joked that Jurgen Klopp’s team have won the league after Norwich overcame Man City 3-2, with Liverpool also defeating Newcastle 3-1 to go five points clear at the top of the table.
Speaking to reporters after the shock loss to the newly-promoted Canaries, Guardiola joked that Liverpool have already clinched the title.
“We’re in September… we’re going to do that? Okay: congratulations, Liverpool, you are the champions.
“We’re in September! We’ll recover, go to Ukraine, then we come back.
“Of course, we’ve dropped five points. Tottenham was a pity because we played very well.
“Against Norwich, it was in the important parts, in set pieces for example, that the players have to know exactly what to do.”
Liverpool moved five points clear of Man City at the top of the table after securing their fifth win in as many matches, where they became the first club in top-flight history to win 14 consecutive games while scoring more than once each time.
The Citizens, meanwhile, sit second after suffering their first loss of the campaign, having also dropped points earlier in the campaign as they drew 2-2 with Tottenham back in August.
Guardiola did, however, play down any concerns this early in the campaign, expressing his delight at working with the current players.
“It’s a joy as a trainer to be with these guys,” said the City manager. “I don’t know what’s going to happen this season until the last part of my period here.
“But not even one second am I going to doubt what the players have done for me, for the club, for everybody.
“I am a guy who says the truth all the time,” he added.
“In the changing room, I speak with them and at the same time I know the commitment in every single training session and in all they do.
“We are going to keep going every time until the end.”
City clinched the Premier League title last campaign as they edged out Klopp’s team by a single point, while also defeating the Reds on penalties in this season’s Community Shield.
