City, Liverpool primed for final day of epic title race

 Having absorbed everything Liverpool could throw at them in a titanic title battle, Manchester City will retain their crown with victory at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

It is possible they could get by with a draw, or even an unlikely defeat, as they will start the final round of a monumental title battle one point ahead — but Pep Guardiola’s side know better than to expect gifts from Merseyside.

In all likelihood, City will rack up a 14th successive Premier League win and Liverpool will beat Wolverhampton Wanderers to make it nine in a row. If that happens, City will take the honours with 98 points to Liverpool’s 97.

To put that into perspective, those totals would be the second and third highest in the history of the Premier League — behind only City’s record-breaking 100-point haul last season when Guardiola delivered his first title.

If there was ever a case to share the trophy it is this season, such has been the excellence of both clubs, but in reality finishing second will be a bitter pill to swallow.

“I’m not going to change my opinion on what we have done, but I know we will be judged. We have to win,” Guardiola said as he prepared for the trip to a Brighton side who could prove troublesome.