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Raheem Sterling predicts title race will "go down to the wire"

Sterling predicts title race will
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City trail the Reds by two points but have a game in hand.

Raheem Sterling believes the Premier League title race will go to the wire and insists there will be no let-up from Manchester City.

Liverpool's win over Chelsea on Sunday sent them back to the top, just a couple of hours after City beat Crystal Palace 3-1 to briefly lead the pack.

But with City having played a game less, their destiny is in their own hands.

Raheem Sterling scored twice for Manchester City at Palace
Raheem Sterling scored twice for Manchester City at Palace (Steven Paston/PA)

Sterling feels the title rivals will continue matching each other stride for stride over what promises to be an exciting run-in.

"Yes, 100 per cent, the way Liverpool have been playing it will go down to the wire," he said.

"I don't see us slowing down now. Liverpool have a great squad, great self-belief, but so do we."

Sterling scored twice to put City in control, but only after he missed a glorious chance to give them the lead.

"I tried to be a bit too clever with the first one," he admitted. "But the game is 90 minutes and it was still 0-0, so I knew there would be more chances.

"When I was younger you always want to score your first opportunity and sometimes it doesn't happen like that. You don't beat yourself up.

"There's 80 minutes left, you just have to be ready for the next opportunity. That's the mentality, just keep going and the chance will come."

Luka Milivojevic gave Palace hope with a free-kick nine minutes from time, but
substitute Gabriel Jesus wrapped up a ninth straight win for City in stoppage time.

"We always knew coming here in the past that it's a difficult place to come," said Sterling. "We got two goals but knew we couldn't switch off.

"We kept pushing and we were glad to get the third goal. We knew we had to be on it from the first minute."

It was a tough afternoon for Palace and in particular Christian Benteke, who started his first game since February 9 and played the whole 90 minutes.

Christian Benteke started for the first time since early February
Christian Benteke started for the first time since early February (Steven Paston/PA)

The striker told the club website: "I am happy. It has been a tough season with injury but the main thing is for the players to control what they can control.

"I am always available for my team-mates and I work hard in training to be where I am. I will keep pushing myself until the end."

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Aston Villa167452425-125
7Bournemouth157352320324
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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