Pep Guardiola makes huge Liverpool admission as Premier League title race intensifies

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits Liverpool are "one of the strongest teams" he has faced in his career as the Premier League title race enters the final few weeks.

City are currently two points behind a Reds team that have lost just one game all season, but Wednesday night's visit from Cardiff offers the champions a chance to regain top spot.

Jurgen Klopp's side have won 24 of their 32 games so far losing only to Guardiola's men back in January and the City manager has talked up the size of the task of edging out the Reds over the final five weeks of the Premier League campaign.

Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City walks away from Jurgen Klopp, Manager of Liverpool prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Both teams also remain in the hunt for the Champions League, too and Guardiola believes Klopp's outfit are one of the toughest opponents he has encountered throughout his trophy-laden career with City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

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In an interview with Sky Sports , Guardiola said: "[ Liverpool ] are one of the strongest teams I have faced.

"They have everything. They have good tactics, they have great defensive strength, they have very good high pressing and they have a very good counter-attack.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola faces a hectic schedule in April. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)

"They had some problems with their positional play before, but that has improved a lot too. Liverpool have everything. That’s why it’s so close."

Guardiola's side met Liverpool four times last season and were beaten on three of those occasions, with the five-time European Cup winners knocking City out of the Champions League with a convincing 5-1 aggregate victory 12 months ago.

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However, it was City who triumphed domestically as they strolled to the title virtually unopposed last season.

They became the first-ever Premier League team to reach 100 points last term but have been impressively matched stride for stride for Klopp's Reds this time around.

They are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and face Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals of the Champions League later this month.

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“I don’t know how many teams in Premier League history have been in this position, in four competitions in April, but there can’t be many,” he added.

"We just have to try to win the next game and see how far we can go."

After City's meeting with relegation-threatened Cardiff, Liverpool have a chance to respond when they travel to Southampton on Friday night.

The Citizens remain on course for the Quadruple though, having already stored away the Carabao Cup which was on penalties against Chelsea back in February.