’They are losers? No”: Pep Guardiola’s passionate DEFENCE of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool

Pep Guardiola offered a passionate defence of Liverpool after the Reds dropped out of the Premier League title race.

Liverpool shouldn’t be judged too harshly, says Pep Guardiola, as their fall from the title race was ‘unbelievable’. The Manchester City boss was talking ahead of his side’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur.

It’s a fixture that could swing the title race. City know they’ll be massive favourites for the title if they win, whereas Arsenal would have the title in their own hands if Spurs get anything.

But you don’t need to go back too far to find Liverpool in the race. In fact, the Reds did have the title in their hands not too long ago.

An incredible collapse eliminate their chances, however. Defeats to Crystal Palace and Everton were the real blow, while they dropped points against Manchester United despite dominating the game.

The watching Guardiola couldn’t believe what he was seeing as Liverpool spurned glorious chances en masse. He’s now moved to praise the Reds for their efforts.

Pep Guardiola on Liverpool

"Listen, in football, I saw Liverpool in the last weeks could not fight with Arsenal, but do you know the way they lost the chance to not fight until the end?” he said in a press conference. "I saw the game against Crystal Palace in the second half, the game against [Manchester] United, the chances they missed, it looks unbelievable! You cannot believe it!

“I saw, I asked: ‘Give me all the chances from Liverpool that they missed’. But they missed it without the keeper, [with a] keeper, nothing, and they missed it! And for that reason, they are not fighting until the end.

"They are losers? No. They are failures? No. They are an incredible, same team that fights against us in these many, many years, like last season, because at the end it’s tell me how this incredible, attacking players that Liverpool has don’t score a goal."

Liverpool’s efforts against United and Palace, in particular, were certainly ‘unbelievable’. The Reds went from being one of the best attacking teams in Europe - with the most goals at the start of the year - to a team that just couldn’t score.

If not for that, the Reds would be in the title race right now. However, it’s a mix of that and their inability to stay solid at the back that’s cost them.

As we saw against Aston Villa, Liverpool can score goals but if they aren't able to defend, it doesn't count for much. Really, it just feels like the dropped points in recent weeks was just the side averaging out.

Third place feels right for this season and where this team is right now. Hopefully, they can kick on next season, iron out the flaws, and truly compete for the title.