Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City can only control their destiny in the title race and not the results of rivals Liverpool and Arsenal.
The champions are third in a fascinating three-way battle for the Premier League title, a point behind Arsenal and three adrift of league leaders Liverpool.
Guardiola believes his team must win each of their remaining eight games, starting with this weekend’s trip to Crystal Palace, to claim a record-breaking fourth Premier League title in a row.
“The quality of the opponent is why we have to keep going and at the end we will realise which team is there,” he said at his pre-match press conference.
“I hope so (Liverpool and Arsenal drop points) but that does not solve our problem if we didn’t do our job. We have to win the eight games we have left and wait. What we have to do is win our games. We only control our destiny in our games. That is all.”
After facing Palace, City take on Tottenham, Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Fulham on the road, while Luton, Wolves and West Ham visit the Etihad. Guardiola is not overlooking this weekend’s opponents, however, who have taken points from City in three of the last five meetings between the teams.
“They always have been tough. Oliver Glasner is doing a really good job. The quality is there, with good players and a good structure. They have a strong defence with Joachim Anderson leading a back five. That physicality always was there and Selhurst Park has always been a difficult place to go to – we know that.”
Phil Foden scored a hat-trick in the midweek win over Aston Villa and Guardiola believes a central position brings the best from the 23-year-old.
“He can play in many different positions, I have said that many times. But if you want to score goals then you have to be close to the box. So when he plays in a more central position, he will score more goals. It is as simple as that.”
