Pep Guardiola After Manchester Derby Win: 'Now Is Time to Be Calm'

Pep Guardiola preached calm after Manchester City moved back to the top of the Premier League table with their 2-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday. 

The defending champions have now played their last game against a top-six side this term and boast a one-point lead over second-placed Liverpool:

All City need to do now is win their final three games of the 2018-19 campaign to guarantee another title:

Guardiola made it clear, though, that they must not get carried away with the hype that the title is now City's after their derby victory.

The Sky Blues visit Burnley on Sunday, and the Spanish manager noted both his league visits to Turf Moor in his time in England have been difficult, ending in a 1-1 draw last season and a 2-1 win in 2016-17, per Jonathan Smith of ESPN FC:

"Now is time to be calm—don't read, don't switch on the TV or listen to the radio. Liverpool I think are not going to drop points. If we drop points they have the chance to win. but it's in our hands. We won the last 11. It's incredible what these players have done so far but still we have a job to do. 

"If that victory [against United] happened in December or January we'd celebrate more. We can enjoy it more. Maybe tonight we can enjoy it but tomorrow it's over. We have to be focused.

"I know people will talk about how beautiful we are, how handsome we are, but now we have to go to Burnley. My two previous seasons in Burnley were incredibly tough."

If City and Liverpool both win their final three games of the season, the Reds will fail to win the league despite accruing 97 points.

The current highest points tally for a team that did not finish the season as Premier League champions is the 89 collected by United when they lost the title to City on goal difference in 2011-12.

If the Sky Blues do go on to win the Premier League this season they will be the first team since United in 2009 to successfully defend the title.

They will then have the chance to go for three in a row, a feat only the Red Devils have achieved in the Premier League era. 

As noted by Guardiola, though, there are still obstacles in City's path.

Even if they leave Burnley with three points, the visit of Leicester City to the Etihad Stadium on May 6 will be no cakewalk, nor will a final-day trip to Brighton & Hove Albion, who could still be fighting for survival.