Pep Guardiola: Manchester City boss says his team have no reason to be nervous for the final day of the Premier League | football news

Pep Guardiola has announced that the Manchester City players have no reason to be nervous or anxious in this Sunday’s Premier League title decider with Aston Villa, as long as they stick to the game plan and focus on the game. .

City know that victory over Villa will secure them the title ahead of Liverpool, and their rivals will host Wolves at the same time in the final round of matches of the season.

Any slip-up will allow Liverpool to snatch the title from under City’s nose, but Guardiola has told his side to “enjoy and suffer the moment” of trying to claim the Premier League title.

“I’ve told our players, it’s just a football match,” Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference. “Don’t think about how happy or sad we would be, just focus on what we have to do to beat Aston Villa. Having a title more or less, that’s important, but it’s just a football game.

“Focus on whether they will play [Ollie] Watkins or [Danny] Ings or simply Watkins. Douglas Luiz as a holding midfielder as three or four [midfielders]? Is John McGinn moving in or out? will they play? [Phillipe] Coutinho and [Emiliano] Good day together? This is what we have to do to win the game.

“I have a feeling we’re going to do incredibly well. We haven’t been here many times in our history, but do we have to be anxious or nervous? No way. Just try to enjoy and suffer in the moment.”

Guardiola admitted that City players may feel the nerves of having the Premier League title on their hands with a game to play, and announced that his team will have no special pre-match arrangements before the end of Sunday.

Sunday, May 22, 2:30 p.m.

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“It’s hard to control your emotion,” he added. “They are human beings and there is an anxiety about what happens if [Villa] score. Perhaps you have to live with something that is uncomfortable but you have to react as best as possible.

“In football, it’s not over until it’s over. Don’t give up and do what you’ve done in the last month and go for it. What we plan is just a football game, nothing different.”

“We will not do anything new, everyone will be at home before the game with the families. We prepare the game to beat Aston Villa, and we will go to plan to try to beat Aston Villa. Nothing more than that.” We can make theories, but it’s just a football game with 11 players and a good coach who will try to beat us.”

What are the permutations of the title race on the final day?

manchester city (90 points) He has already won three Premier League titles on the last day of the season -in 2012, 2014 and 2019- and could do it again this Sunday. Pep Guardiola’s men lead Liverpool for a solitary point.

So this means:

• manchester city will win the Premier League if they beat Aston Villa on Sunday, or equal Liverpool’s result at home to Wolves.
• If City tied against Villa, Liverpool they will be crowned champions if they beat the Wolves.
• Given their inferior goal difference, a draw alone would be enough for Liverpool to be champions on Sunday if Manchester City lose by a seven-goal margin to Aston Villa.

An unlikely play-off for the Premier League title is still possible, should both Man City and Liverpool finish with the same number of points, goal difference, goals scored and goals conceded, with their head-to-head record already tied. .

For that tie-break to happen, Manchester City would need to lose 6-0 at home to Villa, with Liverpool and Wolves drawing 5-5 at Anfield.

Sky Bet odds to win the Premier League…

Man City: 1/8 with Sky Bet

Liverpool: 5/1 with Sky Bet