Pep Guardiola on Man City Title Hopes After Newcastle Loss: 'It Is Difficult'

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said it will be "difficult" for his side to win the Premier League this season after losing 2-1 to Newcastle United on Tuesday.

The Sky Blues had the chance to cut the gap to table-topping Liverpool to just one point before they played Leicester City on Wednesday.

But now Jurgen Klopp's men can open up a seven-point gap with a win over the Foxes after City were shocked at St James' Park:

Guardiola did not admit defeat in the title race, but did say it will now be a big challenge, per Goal:

"It is difficult. We have a chance to do it but we need to win our games. The advantage is not there but we need to continue. We have to do our games and know what we have to do. You can lose. Football is competitive.

"We had a chance today to reduce the lead. Tomorrow is a game for our opponent. When you are behind you have to win games and we couldn't do that. I know the challenge is big, being in all competitions is what it is. If you want to go up as a club you have to accept that challenge. I prefer to be in that position."

City looked to be in for an easy night when Sergio Aguero put them ahead inside the opening 60 seconds. But a 66th-minute strike from Salomon Rondon and Matt Ritchie's 80th-minute penalty turned the game on its head.

Guardiola's Sky Blues have now lost four times in the Premier League this season. They lost only twice in all of 2017-18 as they won the title with a record points tally:

Liverpool, meanwhile, have been beaten just once in 2018-19 so far and can open up a substantial cushion at the top of the table with another victory on Wednesday.

Despite being the second most successful side in English history, Liverpool have not won a league title since 1990.

They have come close in recent years but have never been able to get over the line in the Premier League era:

Newcastle's victory on Tuesday, masterminded by former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, has now handed the Reds their best-ever chance to break their title drought.

The weight of history is sure to put pressure on Klopp's side in their 15 remaining league games of the 2018-19 season.

But, if they can beat Leicester, they will put themselves in the enviable position of being able to afford one or two slip-ups and still win the league.