World surprise, Guardiola surrenders and leaves the way clear for the Premier League title

Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool pushed them to the limit with two endless arm wrestling matches in 2019 and 2022 and snatched the title from their grasp in 2020. Duels between City and "the toughest opposition", as he described them, that Guardiola has faced have become a Premiership classic. And last term, the Arsenal of 'disciple' Mikel Arteta came close to putting the 'Cityzen' king in check. Pep's former assistant took the Gunners to "another dimension, to be competitors", as his 'maestro' stressed at the Etihad. They were leaders in 30 out of 38 games, although in the end they failed to keep pace and ceded top spot to the Sky Blues.

Arsenal, who pushed Manchester City to the limit in the last Premiership, are top and Liverpool, who won the league in 2020, are second after three straight draws for Pep's side. The Premiership has been painted 'light blue' for five years. Manchester City have won five of the last six English Premier Leagues in record-breaking fashion. However, Pep Guardiola's side have once again come up against two of their 'classic' enemies, experts in making them uncomfortable in recent seasons.

"No team in the history of the Premiership has won four Premier Leagues in a row, but in my experience it's a very, very long road. This season, however, Arsenal and Liverpool, Arteta and Klopp, have come back to the fore, overtaking City on the right after the first third of the season.

Liverpool are favourites

 "No team in Premiership history has won four leagues in a row. My experience tells me that this is a very, very long road," Guardiola warned after a 1-0 defeat at the Emirates. A slip that has been no exception this season. Their three consecutive draws (Chelsea (4-4), Liverpool (1-1) and Tottenham (3-3) in the last three rounds have dropped them to third place, three points behind leaders Arsenal and one behind the Reds (second). Behind them are Emery's Aston Villa, Tottenham...