‘The slip from Steven Gerrard. Was that our fault?’: Pep Guardiola takes a jibe at Liverpool

When asked about the prospect of titles being taken away, Guardiola went at Liverpool and more specifically Steven Gerrard, bringing up an incident from 2014 when the midfielder’s lost footing cost the Reds a goal against Chelsea and aided Manchester City’s title run.

“The goal from Sergio Agüero [in 2012], when Balotelli slipped. I don’t know if we are responsible for Steven Gerrard slipping at Anfield. Was that our fault? I have respect for Steven Gerrard – but that moment belongs to us,” he told the reporters.

“The moments that we lived these years together, the Premier League will decide … but I know what we won and the way we won it. I know the effort we put in. If something happened in 2009 or 2010 it is not going to change one second.”

City’s head coach has been reassured that the club have done nothing wrong by the hierarchy.

“What I can say is I am proud of my owners, of my chairman, and the relationship we have had, this time together,” Guardiola said. “I have relied on them [and what they told me] a lot in the past, now you can’t imagine.

“If they want me here I will be here. The results are not good, they will put me out because it is a business where you have to win. But if they want me I will not let them down and my players, too. I want to convince them that what we have done, we have done and they won’t remove it.”

Manchester City can reduce the gap to Premier League leader Arsenal to three points by beating Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium.