'Liverpool didn't play' - Pep Guardiola gives blunt verdict on Man City fixture congestion amid title race

Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City's midweek European fixture makes 'no difference' at a point when Liverpool and Arsenal both had a full week to recover.

City already have one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals after beating Copenhagen 3-1 on Tuesday, but had to travel to the Danish capital to do so. Finishing top of their Europa League group meant Liverpool didn't face a knockout round play-off clash this week while Arsenal don't face FC Porto until next week's round of fixtures.

Guardiola's side host Chelsea at the Etihad tomorrow evening but could be five points off league-leaders Liverpool come kick-off, with Jurgen Klopp's side at Brentford for the 12.30pm kick-off. Both sides also have midweek Premier League fixtures on the horizon but Guardiola believes the quick turnaround is keeping his players on their toes.

“We prefer to have all these games in cups because we are ‘there’ then," Guardiola said of his side's busy schedule. "The fact that Liverpool didn’t play in Europe this week makes no difference to the title race

 "We just need to win our games. When we arrive with eight or nine games [towards the end of the season] we will see how many teams will be involved. It doesn’t matter if there are two, three or four, we just need to do our job."

Liverpool will have European football to contend with in the near future, with the last-16 taking place in early March. Klopp's men are also still in the FA Cup and face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final later this month - their first chance of the campaign at a trophy.

The title race looks set to be a battle between three teams for the first time in several years, with both Liverpool and Arsenal looking to usurp City. Recent seasons have usually seen one match Guardiola's men for much of the season but both look in good shape this year in what is set to be a thrilling end to the season.