Guardiola says winning is ‘addictive’ as City hold off Liverpool
City became the first side in a decade to retain the Premier League title by coming from behind to beat Brighton 4-1 on Sunday and pip Liverpool by a solitary point.
City remain on course to complete the first ever domestic treble in English football in the FA Cup final against Watford next weekend, after goals from Sergio Aguero, Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan saw the visitors recover from Glenn Murray’s shock opener.
“Winning is so addictive and in a few days we have the FA Cup,” said Guardiola.
A 14th straight league victory for Guardiola’s men ensured Liverpool’s long wait to win a first league title since 1990 continued despite a 2-0 victory over Wolves at Anfield that saw them post the third-highest points tally in Premier League history with 97.
Guardiola described retaining the Premier League as the hardest of his eight top-flight titles as a coach.
“We won in Spain and in Germany, but that is the toughest one,” said Guardiola, who won three league titles at each of Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
“This league, the best managers are here, incredible players, especially this rival we faced this season. (It) gives more credit to what we have done.”
For 83 seconds after Brighton scored Liverpool fans were able to dream, but City showed why they are champions and have racked up a remarkable 98 points, just two shy of their record century of points last season.
Liverpool applied as much pressure as they could with their own nine-game winning run to end the season and went in front early against Wolves to raise the tension inside the Amex Stadium.
“We have to say thank you to Liverpool because they helped us to be even better than last season,” continued Guardiola.
“We push each other so close. They did an incredible season, but we did a little bit better so that’s why we are champions.”
City had not conceded in their previous four games, but Brighton were playing on their nerves as they sought revenge for defeat in their FA Cup semi-final last month.
On 27 minutes Pascal Gross’s dangerous in-swinging corner was powered home by veteran striker Murray at the near post for a goal that was celebrated as wildly 270 miles north at Anfield as it was on the south coast.