Pep Guardiola insists Manchester United's prolific form means Manchester City still cannot take Premier League glory for granted.
City need a maximum of five points to win their third title in four seasons and Guardiola's side could complete the job if they win at Crystal Palace on Saturday and second-placed United lose at home to rivals and reigning champions Liverpool a day later.
The City manager feels it would be foolish to be distracted by the looming finish line, however, particularly in light of United's 6-2 Europa League demolition of Roma on Thursday.
"Let me try to beat Crystal Palace. Don’t ask me what I'll feel [if I win the title] because I didn't experience it, it didn't happen," he told a pre-match news conference.
"I know you anticipate it, but the reality is yesterday we saw another example of which contender we are playing. United are an extraordinary team who arrived in the last two months in their best form all season.
"We need five points to be champions and tomorrow we have an incredible opportunity to make this step.
"If we win that game, we are going to think about what happens. Just in case it does happen, you can ask me about my feelings. But I cannot explain about my feelings in the future because I did not experience it."
Since a run of two wins from eight Premier League matches from the end of January to the beginning of March – a prolonged slump that allowed City to streak clear, United have been in imperious form.
A 2-0 derby win over City began a run of five consecutive top-flight wins, checked by last weekend's 0-0 draw at Leeds United.
Leeds recently beat a heavily rotated City line-up, something Guardiola is expected to repeat with a fully fit squad and the second leg of their Champions semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain on the horizon.
City came from behind in stirring fashion to win 2-1 in the French capital in midweek, aided by some half-time tactical tweaks by their manager.
However, Guardiola again insisted the credit should rest with his players – acknowledging relatively little squad upheaval over recent years as a virtue when negotiating this season's compacted schedule.
"In our period together, these five seasons, we are almost the same guys as the first Premier League we won," he said.
"I said many times all the managers at top clubs when you play every three days, we don’t have training. I'm a manager but I don't feel like on the pitch we can develop because have time.
"The only reason is the quality of the players that we have, who can understand what we are looking for and change some ideas immediately because they are intelligent.
"There are no more secrets. In one season you can be a successful, win something important, but to be consistent through the years there is just one secret - have quality players. Don't sell it on any aspects other than that.
"When you have a team like this you can sustain it for a longer time."
Even so, Guardiola believes fatigue might be a factor for a sixth successive game on the road – including Wembley visits for the FA Cup semi-finals and EFL Cup final over the past two weekends – against an opponent who have previously proved a tricky proposition.
"It is a lot of trips, a lot of travel, we are tired in many aspects," he added.
"The reality is Crystal Palace, a Roy Hodgson team. Every time we faced them we had a lot of problems to win the game."
James Maddison believes Tottenham are pushing away from their ‘Spursy’ tag
James Maddison believes Tottenham are starting to shed their ‘Spursy’ tag after they continued a fine start to the new season with a battling 2-2 draw at rivals Arsenal.
Spurs had lost on their last three visits to the Emirates and not won there in the Premier League since 2010.
Tottenham’s losing streak to Arsenal could have continued after Cristian Romero’s own goal and Bukayo Saka’s penalty twice put the hosts ahead in the north London derby, but Son Heung-min equalised twice – both from Maddison assists – to earn a share of the spoils.
A lengthy trophy drought coupled with frequent collapses on the biggest of occasions contributed towards the ‘Spursy’ tag growing during the past few years, but the club’s new number 10 hit back following another strong showing by Ange Postecoglou’s team.
“We’re not in there celebrating a point, I think there was a few little moments at the end especially in the dying minutes where we could have maybe won it from a set-piece,” Maddison told talkSPORT.
“I think winning late last week and coming back twice (here), when you hear fans and neutrals talk about Tottenham they often say, ‘soft, weak, they’ll bottle it, Spursy’, all that rubbish. I think the last couple of weeks shows that we might be going in a slightly different direction.
“We scored in the 98th and 101st minute against Sheffield United to win late on when it looked like it was going to be one of those days.
“Here we go behind twice at arguably one of the best teams in the world, we pull it back and we’re still fighting right until the end. Hopefully we can continue that.”
Maddison was crucial to Tottenham leaving the Emirates with a point after he set up both of Son’s goals to make it four assists in six league matches since his summer switch from Leicester.
It could have been a different story had Gabriel Jesus made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute when he robbed the ball from Maddison on the edge of Spurs’ penalty area, but the Arsenal forward blazed over.
Postecoglou continued to encourage his team to play out from the back and that bravery was rewarded with a fine display where Tottenham enjoyed 53 per cent possession, a marked improvement on the 35 per cent they had under Antonio Conte at the Emirates last season in a humbling 3-1 loss.
Maddison added: “I was really proud of how courageous the lads were and how brave we were. There were a couple of occasions in the first half, myself included, where we gave the ball away.
“I gave the ball away edge of the box, they nearly scored and it is so easy to sink and not carry on playing the way the manager wants us to play, but that’s what bravery is.
“It is having big b**** to take the ball under pressure. I gave it away but the manager makes me feel so good that I can get it again and if I give it away, it’s OK because that’s how he wants us to play.
“He won’t be cheering if I keep giving it away on the edge of the box, but it was only once and once was enough to remind me to be a bit quicker because these derby games are a rapid pace.
“After that I thought we passed the ball really well and had spells where we dominated.”
Meanwhile, Maddison was happy to give back some stick post-match to England team-mate Saka, who mimicked Maddison’s own darts celebration for both of Arsenal’s goals, but was turned by the Spurs playmaker for Son’s first goal.
Maddison, who was forced off with a slight knee injury, quipped to SpursPlay: “Me and Bukayo had a bit of banter and a bit of trash talking if you like on international duty.
“I got told he did the dart celebration and he must have still been doing it when I turned him for the first goal.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ‘not thinking’ about Man City’s lead after derby draw
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta brushed off talk of Manchester City’s growing lead at the Premier League summit, but did admit injuries were already starting to test his squad.
The Gunners were pegged back twice by rivals Tottenham on Sunday and dropped points again following an entertaining 2-2 derby draw.
It left Arsenal already four points off City, who are perfect after six fixtures, with the memory of Pep Guardiola’s side being able to overturn an eight-point deficit in April to clinch title success last season still fresh at the Emirates.
Guardiola’s City visit north London on October 8 but Arteta, when asked about the current points deficit, insisted: “We’re not thinking about this. We have a game every three days, we try to win our games.
“We tried to win our game again and we didn’t manage it for very obvious reasons. That’s it and we have to improve.”
Declan Rice added to Arsenal’s growing injury list when he was forced off at half-time with a back problem.
It makes the England international an early doubt for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at Brentford, although the ex-West Ham midfielder would likely have been rested in west London anyway.
“He had some discomfort in his back. He was telling us during the first half that he was uncomfortable,” Arteta said of Rice.
“When we assessed him at half-time, he could not continue so we had to change him.
“We have to assess him. It’s strange that a player like him asked to come off because he was uncomfortable. Hopefully not (long-term), but let’s see.”
Arsenal were light of attacking options against Tottenham after Leandro Trossard suffered a muscle problem in the midweek thrashing of PSV Eindhoven and Gabriel Martinelli was absent after picking up a hamstring injury at Everton.
With Jurrien Timber (knee) out long-term and Thomas Partey sidelined for “weeks” with a groin issue, Arteta’s team are being stretched with cup competitions to juggle alongside league commitments.
“It (injuries) was already a test because we missed five big players (for Tottenham), but it’s what we have,” Arteta said.
“As well, it gives opportunities to the other ones. We have a game every three days and that’s the level we have to show, so go for it.”
Fifth-placed Arsenal remain level on points with Tottenham after this draw and, while Arteta praised Ange Postecoglou’s team, he was reluctant to list them as title contenders.
“I think they are a really good side,” he acknowledged.
“They are really well coached. You can feel the spirit in the team, the energy in them, but I think six games is too early for everybody to discuss where we’ll (all) be.”
Eddie Howe sure Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon on Gareth Southgate’s England radar
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe says Anthony Gordon could be on England boss Gareth Southgate’s radar after his fine performance in the 8-0 romp at Sheffield United.
Gordon came on as an early substitute for the injured Harvey Barnes at Bramall Lane and gave the Blades defence nightmares, scoring a fine goal in the second half and also assisting Sean Longstaff’s opener.
The 22-year-old has taken his time to find his feet at St James’ Park following his January move from Everton, but has started the season well.
And having been part of England Under-21s’ successful European Championship campaign, he could now be in contention for a call-up to the senior squad for next month’s matches.
Howe said: “I’m sure Gareth is aware of him and I’m sure he’s been aware of him for a long time.
“All Anthony can do is just keep performing like he has and keep his mentality as strong as it has been. He has been a joy to work with and he is reaping the benefits.
“That is probably his best game for us, I thought he was very, very good. Very direct, I thought his goal was very good. He just looked a real threat, he has got so much ability, so much to give and he has got the attitude to go with it as well.
“He has got desire to improve, I see it every day in training, it is great to see him rewarded with that.”
Gordon and Newcastle ran riot as they inflicted Sheffield United’s heaviest-ever league defeat on them.
The Blades have taken just one point from their first six games following their return to the Premier League and a long season looks on the cards.
They actually started brightly but the way they capitulated set the alarm bells ringing for Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom.
“That is the biggest thing from the game for me, which I spoke to the players about,” he said.
“Is this going to define our season? No. It’s three points we’ve lost but what has happened there is something that while I’ve been here, we’ve never seen before.
“That is what has to be addressed. This is a reminder that if we drop below our levels, that can happen, we are playing against good sides. We need to make sure we need to learn from it, it’s not an easy league. You have to compete and that is what we have to take from that.
“We need everyone to step up and it is an eye-opener for the new boys what we are about.
“Newcastle outran us today and that’s not acceptable.”
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