Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City team may need 96 points to win the league ahead of Liverpool

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola believes his team will need to once again rack up close to 100 points if they want to seal a fourth Premier League crown in five years. Guardiola took his side to a landmark total of 100 points as they won the title in 2017/18, before finishing with 98 in 2018/19 as they took back-to-back wins. Ad/> Liverpool hit back to claim the league in 2019/20 with 99 points as the two clubs set new benchmarks at the top of the division.

Premier LeagueKlopp savours Jota's 'genius moment' after Leicester win19 HOURS AGO 2020/21 saw the Reds' challenge fade away largely due to a raft of injuries to key players, but with the two clubs once again operating close to full strength, taking home the 2021/22 trophy could require another mammoth haul. «The [nine-point] margin with Liverpool is nothing. It's nothing,» Guardiola said in his press conference prior to his side travelling to Norwich on Saturday evening.

«We have to win a lot, a lot of games. More than 90 points – 95 or 96 to be champion, I'm pretty sure of that right now. Robertson reveals moment he knew Diaz would fit in at Liverpool Klopp savours Jota's 'genius moment' after Leicester win De Gea: Someone has put a curse on Man Utd »We've made an incredible run – 13 victories in 14 games – and our opponent, Liverpool, is there round the corner.

That shows how difficult it is. «These players have shown they are not scared to face every game with optimism but knowing that we can lose and drop points. »It's not about mentality, because the players show in the last years it's not about fear, it's to face every game with optimism and being positive but knowing we can lose and be bad and drop points.