Guardiola and Klopp play down final day pressure as title race reaches thrilling climax

Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have urged their players to embrace the final day of the Premier League season as Manchester City and Liverpool fight to be crowned champions on Sunday.

City are one-point ahead of Liverpool and will retain the title if they beat Aston Villa, managed by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, at the Etihad. But if City drop points, Liverpool will be crowned champions for an English record-equalling 20th time if they beat Wolves at Anfield.

It is the culmination of a thrilling title race, which has seen Liverpool relentlessly chase down City after the reigning champions held a 14-point lead in January.

Guardiola knows the pressure is on City to win their fourth title in five seasons, but the Catalan has told his players to treat Sunday's match the same as any other.

“I told the players it's just a football game, don't think of the consequences, of how happy we will be if we win or how sad we will be if we lose. Just think about what you have to do to win against Aston Villa,” he said.

“They are human beings, they have feelings. Maybe we will have to live through something unexpected, be uncomfortable, but what we can do is react the best way possible, be positive and don't give up.”

Holding off Liverpool would be arguably City's finest achievement in Guardiola's six-year reign.

Liverpool, who were beaten to the title by City on the last day of the 2018-19 season, are in the midst of a historic attempt to win the quadruple.

Having already won the FA Cup and League Cup, as well as earning a Champions League final date with Real Madrid in Paris on May 28, Klopp's team could become the first English club to claim all four major trophies in a single season.

Klopp has continually played down