Guardiola: In December it’s impossible to be champions

Oli Fisher

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola claims that the title race is not over despite opening up an 11-point gap on neighbours Manchester United.

The runaway Premier League leaders City opened up an eye-watering double-digit lead over their rivals after Nicolas Otamendi fired Guardiola’s men to derby victory.

The much-anticipated 175th Manchester derby was comfortably the biggest game of the Premier League season, such was the need for Jose Mourinho’s Reds to claw back their swashbuckling rivals.

But the gap between table-topping City and second-placed United grew to 11 points on Sunday as City triumphed 2-1 at Old Trafford, where Otamendi volleyed home a second-half winner after Marcus Rashford had cancelled out David Silva’s opener.

“The personality to play here is what I want. We can play this way in England. People said we couldn’t play the way we did in Barcelona in England but it is possible and we did it,” Guardiola told Sky Sports.

“I knew that last season. Always I believed we could do it. Everyone can play how they want, that’s why football is so beautiful. I’m happy to go to Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford and to beat them in this way.

“Football is incredible. We spoke about how to play United but never set-pieces offensively, and then we score two. Football is unpredictable.

“This win means a lot in the way we played for our confidence but in three days we go to Swansea in the winter time. We are going to face a lot of difficulties. In December it’s impossible to be champions but it’s good for us.”