Guardiola: 'Liverpool better than us'

Pep Guardiola has admitted that Liverpool have been the best team in the Premier League this season, despite his side's recent 2-1 victory over their rivals at the Etihad.

"We still have a lot of games to play but all I can say right now, to Liverpool, and what they have done so far, is hats off," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "When a team wins this amount of games, and win in that way, it is not because they are lucky or in one short period - that's why for us it's a big challenge.

Liverpool have the opportunity to move seven points clear should they beat Crystal Palace on Saturday, with Manchester City not playing managerless Huddersfield until Sunday. The side's Catalan manager was at pains to emphasise that his team must be at their very best to put pressure on the Anfield club.

"We have to be there, to make them feel we are there. That is all you can do when you are behind. The best way is winning our games and producing through our games and the way we play the feeling for our opponents of 'they are strong'. That is the only way. I will not say this season is better than the previous season - it is a different challenge and we knew it.

"We spoke from the beginning that we cannot expect to win 18 games in a row, or to have the opponents in January or February be nine, 10, 11 points behind us. We cannot deny it - there is one team in the Premier League up to now that has been better than us. We have to accept it and challenge them."