Pep Guardiola insists it is far too early to write off Manchester City's chances of defending their Premier League title, but the champions' fourth defeat in nine league games has emboldened Liverpool's hopes of ending a 29-year wait to win the title.
Win at home to Leicester at Anfield on Wednesday and Jurgen Klopp's men will have a seven-point lead over City with just 14 games left to negotiate.
Moreover, there is every chance that lead could be extended in the coming week as City host Arsenal and Chelsea either side of a trip to the other side of Liverpool to face Everton in a testing eight-day stretch starting on Sunday.
"Next week will be tough with Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea," said Guardiola after a shock 2-1 defeat at Newcastle on Tuesday.
"If we want to go up as a club we have to accept that challenge. There are a lot of titles and points to play for."
"We can - not get close to them, because it's difficult - but imitate them. Being in the competition until the last stages. Sometimes you are lucky, sometimes not, but be there."
- Defensive deficiencies exposed -
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Despite taking the lead after just 24 seconds at St James' Park, defensive deficiencies were exposed in a second-half Newcastle fightback, just as they were in
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