MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER Pep Guardiola has taken aim at what he perceives as favourable coverage of Liverpool’s title challenge.

Speaking to Bein Sports after City opened up a three-point lead at the top by beating Newcastle 5-0, Guardiola said, “One week ago, we were in front, [but] everyone in this country supports Liverpool, the media and everyone.

“Of course Liverpool have an incredible history, in Europe and competitions. [But] not in the Premier League, just won one in 30 years. But it is not a problem at all. The situation is what it is.”

City now have a three-point lead and a four-goal superior difference over Liverpool with three games remaining, but Guardiola says he will be without defenders Kyle Walker, John Stones, and Ruben Dias for the run-in. 

Dias was forced off at half-time at the Etihad Stadium with a muscular problem, joining Stones and Walker, who were already sidelined with thigh and ankle injuries respectively, on the casualty list.

Guardiola said: “Ruben, Kyle and John are out for the end of the season. Next pre-season maybe they will be ready.”

City had been given the opportunity to earn some breathing space at the top of the table after quadruple-chasing Liverpool were held to a draw by Tottenham on Saturday.

City were impressive as they swept Newcastle aside in a superb response to their heartbreaking Champions League semi-final loss to Real Madrid in midweek.

Raheem Sterling struck twice while Rodri, Aymeric Laporte and Phil Foden also got on the scoresheet.

“I am very pleased,” said Guardiola, whose side now travel to Wolves on Wednesday. “It was a perfect afternoon.

“Just before the start of the game I felt the crowd were disappointed but not grumpy or upset about who we are as a team.

“What we have done today we have done the last five years every three days. Three more points, three games left, one competition to play.

“We have big problems at the back because we have just three defenders for these three games but we are going to try to do it.

“Wednesday becomes absolutely a final, final, final for us. If we are able to win maybe we are able to arrive in the last game, at home, with our people and try to make back-to-back (titles). 

“Still, of course, everything can happen in football. If it can happen in 56 seconds three days ago it can happen in three games.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe conceded his side were beaten by the better team but denied they were already thinking about their summer holidays having pulled well clear of the relegation battle.

Howe said: “We tried to be positive but you can’t make individual mistakes here. If you do that you’ll concede, and we did.

“Those small details matter and they punished us. There’s no better learning curve than playing Liverpool (last week) and Manchester City. They’ve taught us a lot about potential areas we need to improve.

“We can’t be too negative about today. I can assure everybody we are not on the beach. We have just played two world-class teams and got beaten.”