Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola not feeling nerves before title decider at Brighton

Pep Guardiola says he feels “no nerves at all” as Manchester City go into the final day of the Premier League season with the title on the line.

City are top of the table by one point and know they will secure back-to-back titles if they beat Brighton at the Amex, live on Sky Sports.

However, Liverpool are breathing down their necks and will win their first ever Premier League title if City slip up and they beat Wolves at Anfield.

Guardiola said earlier this week the City players were relishing the pressure of the title race, but when asked whether he would feel any tension before kick-off against Brighton, he said: “I am so happy – no nerves at all.

“I sleep like a little boy. It is a dream, a privilege, I love it.”

However, he admitted he was not as calm before City’s crucial victory over Liverpool at the Etihad in January, which prevented the Reds from opening up a 10-point lead at the top of the table.

Looking back to that fixture, Guardiola said: “I was nervous before Liverpool, seven points behind, and we could have been 10 points behind. It was, ‘Ah, it will be so difficult’. But not now, no way.”

Such is his calm state of mind before City’s biggest match of the season, Guardiola believes he will not have to say anything to the City players before they take to the field at the Amex.

“I would say that I don’t have to say anything to motivate [the players]. I think my speech will be zero,” he said.

“They want to win the Premier League. What I saw in the training sessions – they want to win it. We are going to go out there at Brighton at three o’clock to win the game.

“We have not spoken for two or three days about the Premier League or back-to-back, or what happens if we lose, about celebrations if we win, zero.

“It is just about Brighton, how they defend, their strengths and weak points, what we have to do. And on Sunday, ‘Guys, go out and play’. That is all.”

(c) Sky News 2019: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola not feeling nerves before title decider at Brighton