Pep Guardiola makes Premier League title prediction with Man City two points behind Liverpool

Pep Guardiola thinks he knows how many points it will take to win the this season as go for a fifth successive crown.

The reigning champions had enjoyed an unbeaten start to the 2024/25 season ahead of their. Despite that, they are still well placed, sitting second and just two points behind .

Last season’s title rivals, , are a further five points behind. While City have been forced to be on top form over recent seasons to claim the crown - breaking the 90-point barrier four times - Guardiola does not believe that will be required this time due to the demands put onto players.

Asked if the league-winning points total could be lower this season, he replied: “Of course, absolutely. If we’d had five more days to prepare and recover (for ), maybe we would have been better. Or maybe not, who knows.

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“I talked about the calendar for the season when we were winning, not just now because we lost a game. The reality is they won, we congratulate them.”

The fixture calendar has gone through a dramatic transformation this season. As well as their domestic commitments, City also face a further two games in the group stage after a major UEFA refresh.

They are also set to take part in the new-look FIFA Club World Cup in the summer. City have already been hit with a host of injury issues as they look to cope.

, and have already spent spells on the sidelines - the latter suggesting players might be as larger demands are put onto them. City also look likely to have until after the international break.

Who will win the Premier League this season?

“It’s the reality we are living now,” Guardiola added. “In the previous seasons we played a lot of games, but maybe we will go to the World Cup and arrive in the last stages of that competition, we’re going to play almost 70 games.

“It’s like NBA, but they have four months holiday and we have three weeks. You have injuries for a long time like didn’t happen before. It’s normal, it’s going to happen. We have to handle it.”

Asked if the increased demands has also left him exhausted, he replied: “I don’t play, I don’t run. I'm sitting. We won a lot and people expect we’re going to win all the time. It’s the first game we’ve lost in the Premier League in 2024. We’re in November. It’s unbelievable.

“We’ll learn from this and we’ll improve. I’m fine. I still have energy. I wanted to win (on Saturday). Congratulations to Bournemouth is all I can say.”

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