LONDON (AFP) - John Stones says the experience in the Manchester City dressing room will be vital as they aim to finish ahead of Liverpool in the thrilling race for the Premier League title.
City will retain the Premier League crown if they win their final two games against Leicester at home and Brighton away, but with Liverpool just a point behind, there is no room for error.
It is a totally different scenario from last season, when City romped to the title with five games to spare and went on to finish a record 19 points clear of nearest challengers Manchester United.
"Last season the league was done by now," said defender Stones. "It's a strange situation because some of us haven't been in this situation before.
"I think Vinny (Vincent Kompany) said that these are the times when it brings the best out of you as a player, but him as a player, David (Silva), Sergio (Aguero) and a few of the others have been in this situation before. They know what the feeling is, how to get the best out of it.
"We've got to be guided by those and try to take everything in. It makes everything exciting, keeps everyone on our toes."
The England player said the tightness of the race was "making us hungrier to keep winning, keep the pressure on and keep fighting until we can't any more. It's exciting to be part of it".
Stones feels winning this year's title would be more special than last campaign's success because it would make City the first team to win two in succession for a decade.
The 24-year-old said: "It'll be special because it will be back to back, not because we've been pushed by Liverpool.
"I think it's better for the football fans in general that it's gone so late in the season and nobody has won it yet.
City have won their past 12 Premier League games and Stones realises there is still no room to ease up.
He said: "Nobody in our dressing room will take these last games lightly and say these are easy wins.
"Never underestimate any team that's lower in the league than you are, that's when you start to become complacent and slip up yourselves.
"I think as players we go in and attack the games as difficult, respect our opponents and try to play our game."
Schalke 04 warmed-up for the Champions League visit of Manchester City with a goalless draw at home to fellow Bundesliga strugglers Freiburg on Saturday. Schalke are winless in their last three
Football: 10-man Schalke draw blank ahead of Man City clash
Manchester United's Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba headed first-half goals to claim a 2-0 win that dumped FA Cup holders Chelsea out of the competition and secured a place in the quarter-finals in
United dump holders Chelsea out of Cup to pile pressure on
Hatem wonder strike secures Qatar upset of South Korea. Qatar's Abdulaziz Hatem scored with a stunning late strike as the 2022 World Cup hosts upset Son Heung-min's South Korea 1-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Cup for the first time on Friday.
Football: Hatem wonder strike secures Qatar upset of South
Football: Liverpool's players must fight for the Premier
Ikhsan Fandi scores 1st goal for Norwegian club Raufoss with last-minute overhead kick winner. It was the 20-year-old's first-ever goal for the club.
Ikhsan Fandi scores 1st competitive goal in Europe, and it's
Football: Fandi Ahmad coy on SEA Games rule of two overaged
Man City suffer shock Premier League defeat by Crystal Palace Premier League / 22 December 2018, 7:20pm / Ian Whittell Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha and Mamadou Sakho celebrate after the match.
Football: Manchester City beat Crystal Palace in Premier
He may still be some way off his ambition of playing in a top European league, but Ikhsan Fandi is definitely making progress, after scoring his first two goals in Norway's second-tier football
Football: 'Adulting' Ikhsan finds his footing in Norway
Hammering is best form of 'respect' LONDON • Nigel Clough managed to retain his sense of humour after Burton's 9-0 trouncing by Manchester City, stating his hope that Pep Guardiola had "more than one glass" of wine on offer for the post-match drink.
The 2 Types of Respect Leaders Must Show - hbr.org
Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino is fit for Saturday's Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur despite missing the end of the Premier League season, manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Friday.
Football: Klopp confirms Firmino fitness for Champions League
Queensway Seccondary School: Success through Diligence. ST Young Athlete of the Year: Passion and determination drive footballer Putri Nur Syaliza and ACS paddlers. One of our girls is excelling in the Girls Football scene and has been nominated for the ST Young Athlete of the Year award!
Home | ST Young Athlete
Football: Solskjaer 'confident' of Man United Champions
Arsenal returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over bottom side Huddersfield Town on Saturday, but remain the only side without an away clean sheet in the Premier League this season.
Iwobi, Lacazette lead Arsenal to win at Huddersfield
Football: Ikhsan Fandi determined to step out of dad Fandi Ahmad's shadow and succeed in Norway stint Ikhsan Fandi tells us what his favourite local breakfast is, whether he has a girlfriend, and
Fandi's second son Ikhsan wants to step out of dad's shadow
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen