Pep Guardiola has admitted there are "many reasons" why Manchester City haven't been able to challenge Liverpool this season after admitting defeat in the Premier League title race.
The Blues beat Aston Villa 6-1 to move above Leicester City and into second and reduce the gap again to 14 points to Liverpool, although Jurgen Klopp's side have a game in hand.
Liverpool have dropped just two points all season and their victory at Tottenham on Sunday night appears to have ended any hopes that they might let City back into the race.
Although City reclaimed second place thanks to Sergio Aguero's record-breaking hat-trick, a double from Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus' goal, Guardiola insists the title race is now done.
His claim that there are "many reasons" why City haven't been able to keep the pace in a bid for a third successive title hints at the injury issues his side have suffered this season, particularly at the back where the loss of Aymeric Laporte has been crucial.
But Laporte's injury was a blow to an already depleted back line, with City failing to sign a replacement for Vincent Kompany last summer.
That has handed Liverpool an initiative they have never looked like letting slip and Guardiola appears to have given up hope of catching them.
"Forget about it. We would have liked to fight against them but we could not, for many reasons," he said.
