Pep Guardiola doubts Manchester City can mount late title challenge despite West Ham win: 'Only Chelsea can lose the Premier League title'
- Manchester City eased to a comfortable 4-0 win at West Ham on Wednesday
- Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Gabriel Jesus and Yaya Toure all grabbed goals
- Pep Guardiola's side are 10 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea
- The Spanish tactician says the Premier League title is only Chelsea's to lose
Pep Guardiola says the Premier League title is only Chelsea's to lose despite Manchester City gaining ground on the leaders on Wednesday night.
City were the only top-six team to win over the past two days, steamrollering West Ham in a dominant show of strength at London Stadium.
Antonio Conte was in the crowd as the visitors wreaked havoc but Guardiola says the Chelsea manager 'doesn't have to be too worried'.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says the Premier League title is only Chelsea's to lose
Chelsea boss was pictured at the London Stadium on Wednesday night with Trevor Brooking (top left) and West Ham joint chairman David Gold (right on front row)
Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, delivers instructions to his team against West Ham
The City boss told his players to forget about chasing down the leaders from their position 10 points behind, adding: 'The gap is too much.'
Having heard Conte was watching on as goals from Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Yaya Toure ripped through West Ham, Guardiola said: 'He's 10 points in front of us. Only Chelsea can lose the Premier League. I don't think (that City can pressure them).
'It's a mistake to think about Chelsea when you are 10 points behind. You have to think about winning games. We started well, but we've been inconsistent since.
'To qualify for the Champions League and fight until the end, you have to make a good run of victories, otherwise it will be impossible.
'Only Chelsea can lose it. Look at how many they've lost in their last 16 games. They're not going to lose four or five in the games they have left.
'You have to be there trying to win your own games. After that, if the opponents don't win, that's better. We are not thinking about big goals at the moment because the gap is too much.'
Gabriel Jesus taps home his first Manchester City goal in the 4-0 win at West Ham
Kevin De Bruyne latches on to Jesus' pass to open the scoring for Manchester City
Guardiola would not be drawn on whether he would stick with stand-in goalkeeper Willy Caballero for Sunday's game against Swansea City after dropping error-prone Claudio Bravo.
And having witnessed Gabriel Jesus become the first City player to score and set up a goal on his full debut in the Premier League, he suggested the 19-year-old could be paired with substitute Sergio Aguero in future.
'They can play together,' Guardiola said. Sergio, for us, remains such an important player. We cannot achieve our goals without his contribution.
David Silva is in the right place at the right time to place the ball into the back of the net
Yaya Toure makes no mistake from the penalty spot, sending his spot-kick into bottom corner
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic said City were 'unstoppable' on this sort of form and rued being on the wrong side of Guardiola's team's Jekyll and Hyde form again.
City were just as clinical last night as they were in winning 5-0 at this venue in the FA Cup just 27 days previous.
'It was like a copy and paste game,' Bilic said. 'It's hard to find positive things. It was well deserved for City, we have to give them credit.'
Sergio Aguero watched from the bench as Pep Guardiola's men eased to top-flight victory
Most watched Sport videos
- Home video of Richie McCaw finding out he's in All Blacks squad
- Didier Droga marvels at Kurt Zouma's 'back six pack'
- Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal: Wenger claims first goal was a foul
- Whitehall takes on Henry in Arsenal head-to-head quiz
- Richie McCaw on his strategy notes before a game
- Formula One star Lewis Hamilton gets a deep-tissue massage
- Hull City 2-0 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp disappointed with loss
- Young Richie McCaw climbs mountains at home in New Zealand
- Richie McCaw talks about facing his fears and adversities
- Richie McCaw looks back on New Zealand's poor 2007 World Cup
- McCaw celebrates with All Blacks after 2015 World Cup win
- Striker Saido Berahino shows off gruelling workout on Instagram
- Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal, Premier League score: the action...
- Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal: Eden Hazard inspires with magical...
- Hull City 2-0 Liverpool, Premier League RESULT: Plus...
- Chelsea's Old Boy reunion, the return of Emily Rogawski...
- England 19-16 France, Six Nations 2017 LIVE RUGBY: Ben...
- Hull City 2-0 Liverpool: Alfred N'Diaye and Oumar Niasse...
- Patrice Evra spoke to Jose Mourinho about a return to...
- Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain apologises...
- Chelsea star David Luiz should be in the frame for player...
- Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal PLAYER RATINGS: Eden Hazard was...
- Scotland 21-8 Ireland, Six Nations 2017 LIVE RUGBY:...
- Jurgen Klopp admits his players 'have to take all the...