Guardiola says dethroned City lacked passion

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City failed to match Liverpool's hunger to win the Premier League title after his side's two-year reign as champion came to an end on Thursday.

Guardiola's team handed Liverpool its first English title for 30 years after losing 2-1 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The Spaniard conceded his players struggled to emulate the desire and drive shown by Jurgen Klopp's team.

"Maybe we didn't arrive with the same passion; Liverpool played every single game like it was the last chance they have," Guardiola said. "And maybe we didn't get that moment, especially the key moments in the first part of the season.

"That is the reality, that we are so far behind. Liverpool were fantastic in consistency throughout the whole season.

"We dropped points at the beginning of the season and Liverpool didn't drop points."

Liverpool's title triumph comes with a record seven games still to play and the Reds could go on to smash a whole series of records set by Guardiola's City two years ago. Urging City to maintain its focus better in future, Guardiola is well aware of the task his side faces to regain the title next term.

"We'll have to recover for next season, to be more consistent, and recover the points we missed this season," he added.

"That's the reality. Two years ago we were 25 points ahead of Liverpool, and now they are this distance ahead."

Guardiola is confident of a City response next season, but is concentrating on finishing this season on a high in the FA Cup and Champions League.

The holder travels to Newcastle in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup on Sunday and holds a 2-1 lead over Real Madrid from the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

AFP