Pep Guardiola makes Arsenal and Liverpool 'biggest difference' admission after Man City win

Pep Guardiola has told his Manchester City players they need to match Liverpool and Arsenal across 90 minutes as the title race races to the finish line.

The Premier League champions thrashed Luton 5-1 on Saturday to spend a night on top of the table for the first time since November, and while Liverpool and Arsenal suffered a shock home defeats against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa respectively, it still leaves little margin for error with just six league games left for each team and all of them involved in European competition as well.

City added two late goals against Luton to add gloss to their scoreline - as well as improve their goal difference - and Guardiola commented after the game how strong Liverpool and Arsenal are at finishing matches. Even with their two from Saturday, City have scored 14 in the final 10 minutes of matches this season but conceded eight; the records of Arsenal (15-7) and Liverpool (19-3) are far superior.

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"The contenders we have with Arsenal and Liverpool, we cannot draw many games. That is why we are still there," said Guardiola.

"The only biggest difference between Arsenal, Liverpool against us is that they won a lot of points in stoppage-time. A lot. That helped them be in the position they are.

"Of course all three teams have had incredible seasons, all three. But they won a lot of points for the talent they have because of [late goals]. It happened for Liverpool many times in the last eight years and for Arsenal many times because of their talent.

"It is a credit to them, not the opposite. In those departments they are much better