Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp think both of their teams could have to win the final seven games of the Premier League season in order to finish in first place.

The Premier League’s preeminent pair, Manchester City and Liverpool, drew 2-2 on Sunday in what was a captivating contest at the Etihad.

Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus twice put the hosts ahead in the first half, only for Diogo Jota and then Sadio Mane to equalise on both occasions.

The game was frenetic, relentless and exhilarating between England’s top two, and the draw means the title race is very much still on.

It leaves City first and one point clear of Liverpool, with the latter facing a tougher fixture schedule between now and the end of the campaign.

However, the Merseyside club have been in much better form across 2022, and had won 11 league games in a row prior to Sunday.

Liverpool are more than capable of going on a similar streak between now and the end of the campaign, and potentially winning all seven of their remaining matches. At least that’s the view of Pep Guardiola.

‘One game could cost us’

Speaking after the game, City’s manager opined that one slip-up from City between now and the end of the season could result in them losing the league title. However, Guardiola insisted that view was not influenced by Sunday’s epic encounter.

“We missed an opportunity to beat them,” the former Barcelona manager said. “It’s a feeling that we leave them alive.

“Winning, losing or a draw [today] will not end [the title race],” he continued. “Both teams know that today was massive and we played for that. The performance was great and we know it, against an opponent we knew we would fight until the end.

“We know that one game dropping [points], we will not be champions. We have two competitions now and then I think Brighton and Watford [in the league], knowing that if we draw we will not be champions.