Liverpool are favorites for the Premier League title, says Pep Guardiola | city ​​of manchester

Pep Guardiola said Liverpool are now favorites for the Premier League title with nine games remaining after Manchester City's goalless draw with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.

Liverpool came back to win Brighton 2-1 at Anfield earlier in the day to leave Jürgen Klopp's side two points ahead of Arsenal and three ahead of the champions. They each only have 27 points left to play for and Guardiola was asked if Liverpool are now in a privileged position.

“Yes. Always whoever is first is the favorite, the second is Arsenal and we are third,” stated the manager.

He was asked if there is any concern that City will run out of games to catch Liverpool. “It's not in our hands,” Guardiola said. “All we can do is think about Aston Villa (on Wednesday). If you are the leader of the league, as we have been before, you are a favorite.

“We prefer to win, obviously. We take the point. A close match. I recognized my team, I am very proud. They tried. Our intention was there. We'll see what happens. “We need to refresh our minds and our legs before Aston Villa.”

The result was the first time City had failed to score at home in 57 games. After Arsenal suffered a 4-1 defeat against City in the corresponding match last season, Mikel Arteta He praised the evolution of his team but admitted that to be champion perhaps they needed to win.

“We are improving, we are competing better and understanding how to compete in these games,” the coach said. “There is another step to take to win championships and that is that you have to win. Today we were able to tie and we have to improve a lot to win.”

Arteta was asked if a point was a good result for Arsenal's title hopes. “I don't know,” he said. “You want to win the game. You prepare to win it. If you can't win it, make sure you draw it. We did that.

“Eleven months ago we were here and the story was very different. We have to take steps as a team and today we did it. We still have many more to come. There is no way you can be completely happy (with a point).

“It generates belief (today's result). The momentum and good position we are in continues. The fact that the guys are there and they want more and they individually push themselves saying: 'I could have done better, I haven't done as well as when we trained' – that tells you how much the guys want it. “We will do everything we can to continue what we are doing.”

After Arsenal won the second leg 1-0 In October, they stopped City from scoring this season. “Yes, huge. “It is extremely difficult to do that,” Arteta said.

“It shows you the commitment of each player, the discipline they showed and how they compete. It's one thing to play a soccer game and another to compete in it. Today we did very well.”

Arsenal used a low block to hinder City. Guardiola joked when asked what the solution was. “Kill someone. He plays with nine,” he said. “They defend well and a lot, surrounding Erling (Haaland). So be patient and find the pass. They defended well with many people.

“There are different ways. They did well with the press and then after the blockade. “It doesn't matter how many players you defend with, the main objective is not to concede goals.”

Arsenal also stopped the game although Guardiola refused to criticize the visitors. “It's not my job. I control my team and I don't know the rest. Nothing to say about the referee: Anthony Taylor must be happy because nothing bad happened. It usually occurs when the referee becomes more important to the players. The referee was really good. He was good,” he said.

Bernardo Silva was optimistic about City's chances of retaining the title. “A lot of things can happen,” said the midfielder.

“Now we don't depend on ourselves, we depend on Liverpool and Arsenal because we won't play them again, so we need them to leave points, as well as do our job and win our own games. Today it was a different team (Arsenal), with more experience.”