'I know' - Pep Guardiola makes 'scared' Liverpool and Arsenal title race claim after Man City win

Pep Guardiola has dismissed that Liverpool will be scared by the fact that Erling Haaland annd Kevin De Bruyne are back firing on all cylinders for Manchester City.

The duo formed a deadly partnership last season as City claimed the Treble, with Haaland scoring 52 goals in all competitions. However, De Bruyne missed four months of this campaign because of a hamstring injury while Haaland has only recently returned from an ankle complaint.

De Bruyne set Haaland free to net is second goal in the Etihad Stadium outfit's 2-0 victory over Everton on Saturday. The win briefly moved City to the top of the Premier League table before Liverpool reclaimed their place after a 3-1 triumph against Burnley.

A razor-thin title battle is set to ensue from now until the end of the campaign. City and Arsenal - who thrashed West Ham 6-0 - are two points behind the Reds, although the former have a game in hand.

Now that Guardiola's chief tormentors are back, it certainly gives the current champions a marked boost. But the Etihad boss played down that City will now cruise to a fourth successive title.

He told talkSPORT: "I don't care. I don't care about how scary it is for them. Because I know some of my colleagues are not scared at all.

"OK we are stronger with them, but as I said before, we can play good. But these types of players help you to win games.

"The first goal is not easy at all, right foot, first contact, and that's why Erling is - in the box - he's the best."

Liverpool welcome City to Anfield on Sunday 9 March. The pair played out a 1-1 draw when they met at the Etihad in November.