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Dec 26, 2016 at 5.15pm UK
 
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Pep Guardiola: 'Tough to keep pace with Chelsea, Liverpool'

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admits that it will be tough to keep up with Chelsea and Liverpool in the title race due to their lack of European football.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has suggested that Chelsea and Liverpool have an advantage in this season's title race due to their lack of European football.

Neither side managed to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League last season, leaving them with the Premier League as their only major concern in a regular week.

The extra rest appears to be doing both sides good, with Chelsea and Liverpool occupying the top two spaces in the table prior to the Boxing Day fixtures, and Guardiola admits that it will be tough to keep pace with them.

"Sometimes you play before [Chelsea], sometimes later - but it doesn't matter when one team has won 12 in a row. It's like a final for us if you want to be there until the end of the season," he told reporters.

Liverpool went so close one year because they had one game a week and last year, for Leicester, it happened the same. This time Chelsea and Liverpool are the ones. We have played seven more than them - and important games like the Champions League - which is why it will be tough.

"But football is unpredictable. We have to do absolutely everything to be there. Sometimes when you believe something is done it isn't. What we have to do is win every game and analyse and see if that is enough."

Man City beat Hull City 3-0 at the KCOM Stadium this evening to leapfrog Liverpool into second place - at least until the Reds face Stoke City tomorrow night.

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Virgil Van Dijk in action during the Europa League game between Southampton and Hapoel Be'er Sheva on December 8, 2016
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2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
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8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
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14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014


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