Part 2

“‘In the way we play, we are much better,’ said Guardiola. ‘We have 71 points and that is incredible, whatever happens.
“‘You always think today may be the day it doesn’t happen, you don’t win. Maybe this is the day the players will be tired and that today may not be our day.
“‘But then it turns out the opposite. Time and time again the players are there. We won everything in January and February and now we start again and the feeling is there again.

“‘Every player knows what we have to do, everybody is there for each other. If we have that we can compete. We may lose but if we do we have no regrets.’.
"So Liverpool have fewer miles in the legs than City, but also less experience at winning titles.
"‘For me there is no stress, it’s nice to be there,’ said Guardiola.
"‘Two titles in our pocket already this season and being there with Liverpool, the best Liverpool in their history in terms of points in the Premier League. Even in their history winning leagues they didn’t have these results.
"‘When you have won 100 points you can get complacent but we are there again. We are in the last 16 of the Champions League and one game from a Wembley semi-final in the FA Cup. So that is not stress. No it’s the opposite, a joy.’

It wouldn’t be media watch without a slice of transfer gossip and the Mirror’s John Richardson has a story claiming that Guardiola is eyeing up a reunion with Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara who played under him in Germany.
Richardson scribes: “Pep Guardiola wants to raid Bayern Munich and be reunited with Thiago Alcantara for a second time.
“The Manchester City boss is a huge fan of the Spain international, who is seen as a long-term option to replace Fernandinho as a holding midfielder.
"Guardiola took over as Bayern boss in 2013, and quickly signed Thiago from Barcelona for £21million.
“Bringing in an influential midfielder is a summer priority for manager Guardiola.
“Guardiola also admires Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez, and has been encouraged by his fellow Spaniard recently switching agents.

“But the problem is that Saul is only two years into a staggering nine-year contract.
“Meanwhile Thiago would jump at the opportunity to play under Guardiola again, giving City hope in the chase for a top midfielder.”
Finally, there is high praise for Keira Walsh from England boss Phil Neville after England’s thrilling 2-2 draw with the United States in the weekend’s latest SheBelieves Cup clash in America.
City colleagues Steph Houghton and Nikita Parris both scored for the Lionesses – but Neville told the Independent’s Jack Rathborn he wanted to highlight’s Walsh’s contribution
Rathborn reports: Neville enthused “The two central midfield players today were probably the bravest players on the pitch in terms of having to take the ball under the most pressure. Bronze and Walsh in midfield were colossal.

“Keira Walsh, I think, is getting up to the level of being world class and believing it: she takes the ball, she passes the ball, she’s athletic and has real energy.
“And then you throw in the style of football that we want to play – it means that we’ve got a good system.”
"Neville added the game was the perfect advert for the women’s game.
“That’s how football should be played. I think both coaches will admit that the result probably wasn’t the most important thing," Neville said.
"We’ve just put on an advert for women’s football that was probably as good as I’ve seen.”