LONDON: Pep Guardiola has warned Liverpool they need to fight to the death to win the Premier League as his Manchester City side will not give up.
The Abu Dhabi-owned club beat Everton 2-0 on Wednesday to go top of the table on goal difference barely a month after the Reds could have gone 10 points clear.
Liverpool may have a game in hand but the City coach is now confident his side have the grit and determination — to go along with their undoubted flair and attacking prowess — to defend their title after many were questioning the team’s character.
“We have a game every three days for three months. I don’t know how far we will get, maybe we will die in the road, but we are trying,” Guardiola said.
“We have played one more game than Liverpool. It’s good to be top but Liverpool has a game at Old Trafford.
“I don’t think too much about that but four or five days ago we could have been seven points behind, it is a lesson to not give up.”
While he often maintains a cool, calm exterior there is little doubting the recent questioning of City’s temperament annoyed Guardiola.
“We come from champions and we are in a situation where we could have given up but it didn’t happen,” the Spaniard said.
“We gave an incredible game against Liverpool. These players have shown incredible desire and performances for the last two years. How could I question them?”
Next up for City is a home clash against Chelsea on Sunday, while Liverpool face Bournemouth at Anfield.
“We have an incredible test on Sunday against Chelsea,” Guardiola said.
In City and Guardiola’s favor is the return to form of Kevin de Bruyne. The Belgian was sidelined for most of the first half of the season with a knee injury and against Everton was used off the bench. But sure to start against Chelsea Guardiola is excited about he impact the winger can have.
“He had a good kick in his last game and I didn’t want extra, I prefer a few minutes to 90 minutes from Kevin and maybe he will be fresh for Sunday,” the coach said.
“What I like, especially from Kevin, he came on and he was incredible.
“You don’t win football competitions with 11 players. The players that come on after, sometimes I read which players can help us make a (difference) because some players don’t play good from the bench.”
Pep Guardiola warns Liverpool Manchester City will fight to the death for Premier League title
Pep Guardiola warns Liverpool Manchester City will fight to the death for Premier League title
- City coach says his side will never give up their title without a battle.
- Defending champions face Chelsea on Sunday after Reds face Bournemouth the day before.
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses. The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas. The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports. “We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns. The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
