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Pep Guardiola at Wembley yesterday.

Guardiola insists Liverpool's late winners don't mentally impact Manchester City

The Catalan insists his rivals’ series of last-minute dramas have no impact on his squad.

MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER Pep Guardiola insisted his quadruple-chasing team will not be psyched out by Liverpool in the race for the Premier League trophy.

City – who have already won the EFL Cup – reached the FA Cup final after edging Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0 at Wembley on Saturday as their quest for four trophies this season stayed alive.

Guardiola’s City are second in the Premier League, two points behind Liverpool but with a game in hand after the Reds claimed a late 3-1 win over Southampton on Friday.

Asked the psychological impact on his players as Liverpool relentlessly pursue silverware despite a mixed run of recent form, Guardiola replied: “Zero.

“I think maybe for them it is better; but for us, zero. I know Liverpool is going to win all the games.

“What happened is what happened. So to be champions we have to win all the games.”

City still have two particularly tough fixtures to come in their last six league games as they host Tottenham and duke it out with derby rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.

While juggling their bid for back-to-back Premier League titles, City are preparing to face Tottenham in the Champions League quarter-finals.

City are also set to meet either Wolves or Watford in the FA Cup decider next month and Guardiola added: “Do you believe we can play 60 games in a season and win 5-0 and have a good performance in every game? Which team can do that?

“Even the teams for trebles in other countries. I don’t remember, I didn’t see, but I think when Sir Alex Ferguson won the treble [with Manchester United in 1998-99], in that case not all the games were fantastic and winning four or five zero.

“Normally the semi-finals, final, are games like this. You can analyse how many chances we create, but people expect from how good we are that we have to score I don’t know how many goals. In this game, in this job, it doesn’t work in that way.”

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    Mute Gerry Ivie
    Favourite Gerry Ivie
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    Jun 26th 2023, 10:18 PM

    Here we go , 4 in a row.

    16
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    Mute Kevin
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    Jun 26th 2023, 10:47 PM

    Poor enough game and poor performance from Rovers, but after the intensity of the derby on Friday it is probably excusable. Great 3 points though on the road to title number 21. #mindthegap

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    Mute Abdul Abhaile
    Favourite Abdul Abhaile
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    Jun 26th 2023, 10:23 PM

    Derry came for a belly tiddle and went home with their bellies tiddled.
    The defending for the goal was criminal, 4 players around Gaffney but Boyce who’s half his size was the only one who’d tried to get a tackle in. The Derry keeper was poor for the goal as well, too slow to react.
    May as well call the season off, nobody is gonna catch Rovers now.

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    Mute Trevor O'Doinn
    Favourite Trevor O'Doinn
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    Jun 27th 2023, 2:46 AM

    KOH

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