Arne Slot's 'boring' claim responds perfectly to Pep Guardiola's Man City title admission

The "boring" approach could prove key to Liverpool reclaiming the Premier League title from Manchester City this season.

That's after Reds boss Arne Slot insisted he is only focused on his team's next task despite City's wobbles in form. Pep Guardiola admitted the title race could be over should his side fall at Anfield next Sunday, with Liverpool set to move eight points ahead if they beat Southampton this weekend.

City's losing streak stretched to five on the bounce after Guardiola & Co were decimated 4-0 at home to Tottenham on Saturday. And the result led the City chief - who recently put pen to paper on a new contract - to make some tough admissions in regards to their chances of keeping the crown.

When asked if a Liverpool victory in next week's crunch clash would prove decisive in the title race, Guardiola replied: "Yes. In terms of Liverpool winning, winning, winning, it’s true. I don’t know what is going to happen, but the reality is here and we have to win games.

"People are saying it can’t get worse - but it can get worse. The exceptional things we have done over the last eight years are not eternal. I said how difficult it was to do the things we have done - and now people might believe me."

The Catalan coach went on to concede his side are currently "a bit fragile," adding there are "many details [City] have to fix." But Slot wasn't quite so condemning of Liverpool's main title rivals and City's current situation ahead of this weekend's football.

"I don’t talk about favourites," said the Dutchman. "It is boring but I just talk about the next game, which is a challenge in itself. In the Premier League the margins are very small. That is true all season. I have followed the league and there was a moment when City were eight points behind Arsenal, so there is no use in getting carried away at all at this moment in time.

Image: PA) PA)

"These teams like City, Arsenal and Chelsea, even [Manchester] United and all the others, are able to put together a run of games like we did. So we are not getting carried away at all and looking at it in terms of favourites."

Slot's insistence on fixating upon purely the next imminent obstacle will only enamour him further with the Reds fan base. The new Liverpool chief has taken no time at all to win over the fans at Anfield thanks to his seamless transition from the Jurgen Klopp era.

That same habit of taking things one step at a time has helped Guardiola usher in a period of unprecedented success at City. But he knows as well as any other just how swiftly such dynasties can end as Liverpool look to break free in the title race.

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