Pep Guardiola tells misfiring Man City stars not to look at Prem table after gifting Liverpool mega lead
PEP GUARDIOLA told his misfiring Manchester City side: Don’t look at the Premier League table!
Adama Traore’s late double gave Wolves a deserved win and handed Liverpool a mammoth eight-point lead in the title race.
That is the biggest advantage a team has ever had at the top of the Prem after eight matches.
Guardiola felt his “nervous” champions had flopped for the first time this term.
The fuming City boss said: “It was a bad day. The previous games were quite good — even when we lost at Norwich — but this was a day when we were not at our level.
We started quite well but got a bit nervous. Sometimes it happens. The distance is big. It’s a lot of points, I know that.
“Liverpool are not dropping points. But we are in October, there are still a lot of games.
“I know these guys — they are still incredible.
“It’s better not to think too much about the table. Look to the international break and then go on to the next game.
“When you win games, that’s when you think about the other team.
‘WE HAD BELIEF’
“We lost to a good team, really well organised, so strong in the air and so fast on the counter-attack.”
This was the first time City had failed to score at home in 17 months and not found the net in the Prem since losing 2-0 at Chelsea on December 8 last year.
Pep’s side had also not lost at the Etihad since their shock 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace a fortnight after the Chelsea game.
While the champions were well below par, Wolves shook off the effects of their Europa League trip to Turkey to turn in an outstanding display.
Jet-heeled match-winner Traore said: “I am so happy, we worked so hard all 90 minutes. All the team did great work and we had belief.”
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Conor Coady is from a family of Liverpool fans — but would not talk about the effect on the title race.
The defender added: “This is a day for Wolves and all the supporters.
“They come in their numbers and believe in us and we believe in them.”