Pep Guardiola makes stunning Liverpool Premier League title race claim amid Erling Haaland fitness update

Pep Guardiola surveyed the Premier League title race and declared: 'Liverpool are back'.

Having endured a lacklustre 2022-23 season, finishing just fifth in the top flight and not challenging for silverware, the Reds currently sit top of the table after 20 fixtures. Jurgen Klopp's side are ahead of schedule following a summer rebuild of their squad and are five points above reigning champions City.

However, Guardiola's troops have a game in hand on Liverpool and they usually come on stronger in the second half of the campaign - having been without talisman Kevin De Bruyne for the majority of the season so far.

Aston Villa (42 points) are second in the table while Arsenal - who Liverpool beat 2-0 in the FA Cup third round at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday - occupy fourth on the same points total as City.

A thrilling title race is set to ensue - and Guardiola is wary of the threat that the Reds, who beat City to the crown in the 2019-20 campaign - possess. Speaking after his side's 5-0 triumph over Huddersfield in the FA Cup (via sister title ManchesterWorld), the Etihad Stadium chief said: “In the Premier League, we have one game in hand. We have a big rival, Liverpool is back, Arsenal, many good teams are there, Tottenham, it’s important to be there. But in the same time we know we can’t drop points much or it will be difficult.”

City face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday. With Liverpool out of action, they can close the gap before jetting off to Abu Dhabi during their winter break where Guardiola hopes he can get 18-goal striker Erling Haaland back fit. The Norway international has missed the past eight games with an ankle injury.

Guardiola added: “Now we have a difficult game in Newcastle and then we have two weeks to refresh our minds and go to Abu Dhabi to train in better conditions. In the second part, what I want is everyone to arrive fit. I want Kevin back, Erling back, Jeremy [Doku] back and Jack [Grealish]. When we have everyone back we have a team that can compete in different competitions until the end.”