The manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, thinks that Liverpool will continue to pose the greatest threat to his team’s championship defense in the Premier League.

On Sunday at Anfield, tenth-placed Liverpool will play host to second-placed City.

The Reds sit 13 points behind Guardiola’s team.

The table is currently headed by Arsenal, with Antonio Conte’s Tottenham finishing third, three points behind City.

When questioned on Friday, Guardiola responded that Liverpool “always have been” City’s major title challengers.

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“If you asked that question with 10 games left I would say I don’t think Liverpool can catch the top of the league,” he said.

“But being in the position we are now, and with the World Cup, anything can happen.

“I know the quality they have. It has always been a tough game and I don’t expect anything else.”

Liverpool won the 2019–20 season by 18 points over City, who had won four of the last five Premier League championships.

When City came from behind to defeat Aston Villa 3-2 last season to deprive Jurgen Klopp’s team the Premier League title and a shot at the “quadruple,” the Reds forced the game to extra time twice in prior seasons.

“A few months ago Liverpool were competing for a prestigious situation in English football, four titles, they had more shots, possession, everything in the final and they lost,” Guardiola said.

“This is the same team, same manager, things can happen.

“It’s part of the nature of the competition. I don’t look at good moments or bad moments I analyse as a team always expecting the best of them.

The title might be decided in this weekend’s game, according to Klopp, but “not with us.”

The Liverpool manager said, “Of course, in the seasons when we were both running away, they enabled us to keep going, but this season is definitely different.”