Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted that Manchester United are “real contenders” to win the Premier League this season but predicts the race to come down to the wire.
City are already eight points clear of United in the table with Jose Mourinho’s side also nine points behind Chelsea in top spot after 12 league matches.
It has led to a number of pundits ruling the Red Devils out of the running to win the league this season with many tipping the trophy to end up with one of the current top three – Chelsea, Liverpool or City.
However Guardiola is adamant that, despite being sixth in the top flight, his old rival and his club are still part of the chasing pack this season, with the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach telling the Manchester Evening News that United remain a “real contender to win the Premier League.”
Guardiola admitted he doesn’t believe the title will come close to being decided before April next year, suggesting it won’t be until the last eight or so games a champion will emerge.
He added: “Before I arrived here I knew that so many teams can win the Premier League.
“I think it is going to be decided in the last eight or 10 games. The important thing is to be there in that time.”
“After eight games in the Champions League we are there with top teams like Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. And of course United because United are getting better in their last games so are now a real contender to win the Premier League.
“It’s always difficult after the Champions League game because of the travel and the demands are not just physical, but mental.”
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