Pep Guardiola has warned Chelsea that Manchester City will be ready to pounce when their winning run comes to an end.
City leapfrogged Arsenal and Liverpool into second place in the Premier League table with a 2-1 victory over the former at the Etihad on Sunday, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling striking for the hosts after Theo Walcott had given the Gunners a fifth minute lead.
However the gap to league leaders Chelsea remains a sizeable seven points – though Liverpool can move within six if they win Monday’s Merseyside derby – and the Blues are showing no signs of easing the pace with a run of 11 consecutive wins.
Guardiola’s side were among those to fall in Chelsea’s winning run, City suffering a 3-1 home defeat earlier this month, but their manager insists they will be on hand when Antonio Conte’s men eventually stumble.
“Against Middlesbrough, Everton and Chelsea we deserved more. Today we won – that’s why we’re so happy. Seven points is a huge distance, they made 11 victories in a row so I just want to say congratulations for that.
“But at least [we want] to be there as much as possible, waiting for the opponent to fail sometimes and waiting for the last part of the season to be there and fight for the title.”
History, though, may be on Conte’s side; they have won the Premier League title on every occasion that they have topped the table on Christmas Day and only three of the last 12 festive league leaders have failed to claim the crown in May.
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