Pep Guardiola insisted his Manchester City players will ‘give their lives’ to pip Liverpool to the Premier League title after rescuing a point at West Ham on Sunday.
After watching Jarrod Bowen fire the Hammers to a two-goal half-time lead, City staged a battling second half comeback to secure a point courtesy of Jack Grealish’s defected effort and a Vladimir Coufal own goal.
Riyad Mahrez missed a glorious late opportunity from the spot to secure all three points for City, a result that would have seen Guardiola’s men put one hand on the Premier League title.
Instead, they are four points ahead of second-placed Liverpool, who can reduce the gap to one point with victory over Southampton on Tuesday ahead of what is gearing up to be a tense last day of the season on Sunday.
Guardiola, whose side face Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa in their final game, said: “Now there are no debates about goal difference or anything. We need to win our game to be champion.
“If we don’t win, Liverpool will be champions.
“I can assure you something: in one week our stadium will be sold out and we will give them all of our lives over 95 minutes and they will give us their lives.
“It is an incredible privilege to have the chance with our people at home to win one game to be champion. I’m looking forward to it.
“We are going to rest for one or two days, mentally disconnect, and then train three or four days to prepare the game against Aston Villa.”
And Guardiola believes the brave comeback at West Ham, who have qualified for European football next season with the point, proves they have the resilience to go with their undoubted talent
“You cannot be here over the last five years if you don’t have that (resilience),” said the Spaniard.
