Pep Guardiola is taking nothing for granted in the title race but has said every other team in the Premier League would swap places with Manchester City ahead of the final day.
The Citizens are two points clear at the top of the Premier League table ahead of facing West Ham at the Etihad in their final fixture of the campaign.
A win will seal a record-breaking fourth consecutive Premier League title for Guardiola’s side, though Arsenal could overhaul the leaders if City fail to win.
Guardiola is anticipating a ‘tough, tough game’ against Hammers and said he is taking nothing for granted in the title race.
“We would like to be 3-0 up after 10 minutes but that’s not going to happen,” he said at his pre-match press conference.
“I’m ready for it to be a tough, tough game. I want to put in the mind of the players, ‘look at Tottenham [on Tuesday], how they fought for every ball’.
“[West Ham] will be ready to beat us. I don’t have any doubt about that. It was the same with Aston Villa two years ago – they were in the same position, they didn’t have anything to play for – and we know what happened.
“Our people have to come here and be ready from the first minute, to be with us and do it together.”
Guardiola admitted there was relief in his squad after City earned a 2-0 win at Tottenham in midweek. The club had never previously won a Premier League game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but ended their poor record at the ground with a crucial three points.
“I saw the reaction in the locker room at Spurs. They were relieved, wow, but there were not extra celebrations or something like that. They were happy but incredibly calm, nothing more special than another game in the Premier League. They knew it gave us a chance for the final day of the season.
“Even if we don’t win it, [the players] have been so fine in this period. Still we are here together, nothing’s going to change.
“But if you ask all the Premier League teams at the beginning of the season what would be the better position in the last game of the season, we are in the best position. That’s for sure. We have one game left, destiny’s in our hands.”
