Pep Guardiola challenges Man City to avoid Liverpool referee drama
- City will head to Anfield on Sunday afternoon for a huge Premier League clash
- Guardiola has previously accused official of bias at Liverpool's home
- Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has already questioned officials' treatment of Liverpool
By Tom Gott
Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City to simply play so well that even some referee controversy will not be able to stop them beating Liverpool on Sunday.
Guardiola has never hidden his concerns that referees are biased towards Liverpool at Anfield, repeatedly questioning decisions which have gone against his side in recent years - including the decision to chalk off Phil Foden's goal in a 1-0 defeat away at Liverpool last year.
Fearing further struggles with the officials in charge, Guardiola urged his side to do what they can on the pitch to ensure they are not caught out by any controversy.
"When that happens you have to perform better," Guardiola said. "You can't control what happens in the stadium with the refs, all we can do is perform better. That's what we have to do.
"It’s not the first time, it won't be the last and all we have to do is perform better. For big achievements, [to win] four titles in a row [this season] that no team has done ever, that's the challenge we have to face.
"We have to overcome absolutely everything otherwise it will be difficult to win on Sunday. But I am pretty sure we will perform well and whatever happens we have many games to play."
Asked specifically whether he feels referees are intimidated at Anfield, Guardiola added: "All I can handle is our performance - who we are and what we are as a team. That's all I can deal with. If it happens, it happens, so we will see."
Guardiola is not the only manager to have voiced concerns over referees' treatment of Liverpool. Shortly after Reds boss Jurgen Klopp announced his decision to step down, Chelsea's Mauricio Pochettino urged officials not to get caught up in the romance of Klopp's farewell quest for trophies.
Despite being aware of the significance of the game, Guardiola insisted Sunday's clash will not define the Premier League title race.
"Last Wednesday [against Copenhagen in the Champions League] it was [a case of] in or out [of the competition], next Saturday it will be in or out with the FA Cup [against Newcastle]," he explained.
"But here, while knowing and accepting it's a really, really important game for the title challenge, I feel that many, many things can still happen."
READ ALL THE NEWS AND BUILDUP TO SUNDAY'S HUGE CLASH BETWEEN LIVERPOOL AND MAN CITY
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