Pep Guardiola said wining the Premier League will be one of his greatest achievements as Manchester City moved to within three points of...
Pep Guardiola said wining the Premier League will be one of his greatest achievements as Manchester City moved to within three points of the title.
After a tough week that saw their Champions League hopes ended, City put an end to a run of three successive defeats with a hard-fought 3-1 victory away to Tottenham Hotspur to move 16 points clear.
Guardiola has won league titles with previous clubs Barcelona and Bayern Munich but reckons the Premier League is one of the hardest to win.
"[It's] more difficult," he told a news conference. "The physicality, the weather conditions, the amount of games, the league is tough. That's why winning in this way, hopefully next Sunday it will remain in our hearts for the rest of our life.
"It's one of the best [achievements] by far but I will not say because I win titles in every league and the first title in each country is important. The first league with Barcelona was a dream come true and winning the Champions League against [Manchester] United here was also so, so nice, especially the way we played.
"But of course, the moment we win the Premier League it is going to be one of the nicest and most important."
City raced into a two-goal lead with first half goals from Gabriel Jesus and an Ilkay Gundogan penalty. But Christian Eriksen pulled a goal back before half-time to put the pressure on his side after their two Champions League defeats to Liverpool and seeing a two-goal lead slip in the Manchester derby defeat to United.
However, his players responded, snatching a third goal through Raheem Sterling, and Guardiola praised the character of his players.
"These guys are fantastic and awesome. What's happened in the last week is so unfair. We have a second chance against Swansea and we're going to try and be champions," he said. "Today, we've done it many, many times and that's why we're in the position we are.
"I am so so glad to be here and be part of the club. It was so good. The performance was so good."
City could potentially win the title on Sunday if second-placed United lose to West Brom or on Wednesday if Jose Mourinho's side are beaten by Bournemouth.
However, Guardiola won't be watching United's game, instead enjoying a round of golf with his son.
Asked if he will check the score, he said: "I have a golf game with my son -- bogey, double bogey, birdie. We will see. Football is unpredictable but normally United will beat West Brom. It doesn't matter.
"Before the derby it was in our hands. We have another chance but when one team in November, December has to hear every day they are already champions, it is so complicated to focus on what we have to do.
"After that, in a competition like the Champions League, with decisions and good opponents happen in both games we cannot complete closely against Liverpool but for the rest of the season, even the game against Wigan with 10 against 11 we were outstanding. It's incredible, the guys are incredible."
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