With Liverpool off to their best start ever in the Premier League era Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says his side might need to break the season points record again in order to keep them at bay. After 13 games, City sit atop the table with 35 points. Liverpool are just behind with 33.
Last season City set the Premier League record for points, becoming the first side ever to reach 100. In hitting the century mark, City finished 19 points ahead of the next closest competitor, Manchester United. They were 25 ahead of Liverpool last season, who finished fourth.
When Pep Guardiola made the statement of intent for City he referenced his 2009-2010 season at FC Barcelona when he guided the Catalan club to a record high points total. Barcelona finished with 99 points points that season, three more than Real Madrid. Los Blancos were led at the time by Manuel Pellegrini, who was on the opposite touchline Saturday, leading West Ham United, who were thrashed 4-0 by City at the London Stadium on Saturday.
Guardiola recalled leading Barca to the treble in 2008-09, and how the strength of next year’s Madrid side motivated them to maintain that elite level the next season.
“I remember perfectly that season how tough it was. With 96 points, Madrid, and under Manuel, playing incredibly good. That’s why it was so nice,” Guardiola said at his post game press conference on Saturday in reference to the ’09-’10 season in La Liga.
“Because we did the 99 points when the year before we had won the Treble with Barcelona. That’s why we maintained that level, 99 points. It was good, we did 99 points because someone from behind pushed us, and we knew that if we drop points Madrid is going to win the title.”
“That’s why it helped us.”
That was then and this is now, but it looks like a bit of history repeating. Perhaps this Liverpool team will indeed push City to maintain the extremely high level that they were at last season.
As this season progresses, all eyes will be on the campaign’s second meeting between Liverpool and City on January 3rd at the Etihad. It will likely be the most anticipated match of the rest of the season. The two teams played to a goalless draw on October 7th at Anfield.
City is certainly not letting up at all thus far, as they have a +35 goal differential on the season, compared to Liverpool’s +21.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Lineups.com and Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.