City can dash Reds’ quadruple hopes

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Pic/ Getty Images

Manchester City have the destiny of the Premier League title in their hands heading into Sunday's final day showdown, with the defending champions holding a slender one-point lead over quadruple-chasing Liverpool. Pep Guardiola's men will claim a fourth English title in five years of a dominant era for Abu Dhabi-backed City with victory over Aston Villa.

Players are human beings

"It's difficult to control your emotions when you know what you are playing for," said City manager Guardiola. "The players are human beings but it's football, when you think that it is over it is not over." City know that to their cost having been minutes away from the Champions League final only to blow a two-goal lead in their semi-final, second leg against Real Madrid earlier this month. "The importance is unnecessary to tell them," added Guardiola. "They know it, they feel it."

Liverpool will instead face Real in next weekend's battle to be crowned champions of Europe in Paris as they remain in contention for an unprecedented haul of four major trophies in the one season. Jurgen Klopp's men have already lifted the League Cup and FA Cup.

Fantastic time for Liverpool

"Imagine somebody tells you before the season you're going to be in all three cup finals and want to fight for the league," said Liverpool manager Klopp. "The boys did it - fed by the people here in the building, by our supporters, by all these kind of things. "It's a fantastic time for a Liverpool supporter and now we have to make sure we enjoy the last two games as well," the German added.

The presence of Liverpool great and now Villa manager Steven Gerrard on the opposition bench at the Etihad adds extra intrigue to the decisive day in the title race.

Gerrard famously never won a league title in his 17-year career at Anfield, but could deliver one on a plate to his old club. Anything other than a City win will allow Liverpool to take the title with victory at home to Wolves. "We'll go out at the weekend and give it everything we've got to try and get points for Aston Villa and our supporters," said Gerrard.

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