Pep Guardiola insists Liverpool are not out of the Premier League title race at this early stage despite Reds boss Jurgen Klopp declaring they are.
The Manchester City manager will come up against his great rival this afternoon at Anfield in what is a match that usually goes a long way in dictating the location of the Premier League title, but not this season according to Klopp.
However, Guardiola sees things differently after his side let a 14-point lead slip to just a single point last campaign as Liverpool took City to the final game of the season.
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City are the only unbeaten side remaining in the Premier League this season, but that record will come under threat when they take on Liverpool at Anfield.
Guardiola told Sky Sports (via Football Daily ) when asked whether Liverpool are out of the title race: "No. We had 14 points last season in the middle of the week and after, it was just the one point. If he believes that then that is OK.
"If this was eight games left then I would say that it's a lot of points, but it is October. Jurgen is a competitor. He will fight every single game until the end. What happens will happen, who knows.
"It’s the same team from two or three months ago. The team that lost the league by one point, that lost the [Champions League] final when they had more chances, more shots on target. For me, it’s the same team.”
Ahead of the trip to Anfield, Guardiola highlighted how it is a "special place" to play at as his City side go in search of all three points.
He said: "When it's freezing, it is freezing in winter time, I don't know the reason why. Yes, it's a special place to go. We are involved in football to play these sort of teams."
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