Pep Guardiola makes Liverpool title promise as he sends clear message to pundits

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City concluded the previous campaign without silverware for the first time since Guardiola's inaugural season at the Etihad. This is the very same Arsenal squad that, despite three consecutive runner-up finishes, faced scrutiny following their 1-0 reverse against defending champions Liverpool in August.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been talking the Premier League title race (Image: Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images) By contrast, the title holders have struggled recently, with the Reds travelling to Brentford on Saturday hoping to halt a sequence of three consecutive league defeats. During his press conference ahead of his team's journey to Aston Villa on Sunday, the City manager remarked: "Well, in the first two games, three games, yeah for sure we are out (of the title race).

"I've said many times, I know all the pundits, all the specialists or former players, they know everything that is going to happen after five games - I'm not able to do that. "But I think obviously Liverpool and Arsenal are there, someone else will be there, and hopefully we can be there." The Reds could leapfrog City and close to within a single point of Arsenal, who welcome Crystal Palace on Sunday, should they triumph at Brentford.