Pep Guardiola believes people have been too quick to crown Liverpool as champions and predicts a rollercoaster Premier League title race.
Guardiola’s side can go top of the table on goal difference if they beat Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday night, after Liverpool dropped four points in their last two games.
City, on the other hand, beat Arsenal 3-1 to revive their challenge after Guardiola felt his side were written off prematurely.
‘Three or four days ago, we were already done,’ he said. ‘The champions were Liverpool, and now we can be leading. We try to be calm. There will be surprises and it will be tough for teams to win every game.
‘Non contenders have the ability to create problems. What I’m more concerned about is never forget who we are as a team and doing what we have to do. That’s what I want to watch. After, we see about the results, the table.
‘I would say it's typical in England. What's not common is what happened last season – 18 games in a row, 100 points. Normal is what happens now. You can win or lose every single game. Every team involved in the title, or Europe, or staying in the Premier League.’
Guardiola refused to rule Tottenham out of the title race, claiming that Chelsea and even Manchester United – 14 points off the top – can still be considered contenders.
‘I never said Tottenham is not there,’ he said. ‘Chelsea, I never said. United making this run every single week and they will be there.
‘Now we see the table and see the first two or three and we don't look further than that. Chelsea can win games in a row and be a contender. There are 39 points to play, and nine or 10 behind it's not too much. Everyone is ready to take points.’
City have bounced back after last week’s shock defeat at Newcastle dented their hopes of retaining the title and handed Liverpool an advantage in the title race.
Asked if he has seen a change in his players since that game, Guardiola replied: ‘I like to see my teams in the past and in the future being not happy when they don't win a game. I don't like to see them laugh when they lose. My job is nice when you laugh and have won.
‘We didn't have time to think as we had Arsenal and it's the same now. I didn't see the team happy being extra happy, we don't have time. It's been every three days for three months. It's like a machine – go, go, go.’
Guardiola suffered his worst defeat in English football at Goodison in January 2017 when City were hammered 4-0 by Everton – a result that led to him conceding the title to Chelsea.
The Spaniard is not about to underestimate Marco Silva’s side who have lost seven of their last 11 games in all competitions, putting their Portuguese boss under pressure.
‘Goodison is always a tough game for us,’ he said. ‘We have the chance to go top of the league because Liverpool don’t play. We see what Marco tries to do to win the game.’
On Silva’s situation, he urged Everton not to be rushed into making a change, adding: ‘People don't know how difficult it is to create teams. It takes time. If they believe in him, they have to move forward with him. it's difficult to create and move forward, it takes time so it depends on them.’