Pep Guardiola has refused to rule out the possibility that Manchester City could blow their 13 point Premier League lead despite only six matches of the season remaining.
Guardiola is concerned about the psychological effect that three defeats in a week might have on his players as they look to secure the trophy.
City will take the title with a win over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday and a defeat for second placed Manchester United against bottom club West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
However, Guardiola's side are seeking to recover from a dispiriting run of results, having gone out of the Uefa Champions League after losing home and away against Liverpool in the quarter-finals, as well as missing the opportunity to clinch the title against United last weekend.
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Read more:
Pep Guardiola: Manchester City will be 'stronger' next season
Premier League predictions: Man City's wait for the title goes on after draw at Tottenham
Uefa Champions League predictions: Real Madrid and Liverpool set up final showdown
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City were leading 2-0 in the Manchester derby before Paul Pogba inspired a United comeback, scoring twice in the second half of their 3-2 win.
Guardiola cited two examples of high-profile sporting collapses when examining his own team's prospects - Real Madrid's miserable finish to the 2003/04 Primera Liga season, and Golden State Warriors' failure to win basketball's NBA Finals in 2016.
The Warriors lost 4-3 to the Cleveland Cavaliers despite leading 3-1 with three matches to play, while Madrid managed to finish fourth in the Primera Liga 14 years ago, having held an eight-point lead at the top with 12 matches to play.
"Of course it can happen, I assure you. Real Madrid, years ago, lost five games in a row and didn't win the league. So of course it can happen, no doubts about that," Guardiola said.
"The players know that. It's not necessary to say that to them. Of course it can happen -- in football, in sports.
"Two years ago, never before, in the NBA finals one team recovered from 3-1 down. Cavaliers won against Golden State Warriors 4-3. They won three games in a row."
City dropped just two points in their first 22 league matches this season, with that unbeaten sequence finally ended by a 4-3 defeat at Liverpool on January 14.
Despite the disappointment of losing to United, City have still only dropped 12 points all season, but Guardiola is remaining cautious.
"The pundits in November, they said it was already done -- it was impossible that City, if they hadn't lost in six months, it's impossible for them to drop points," he said. "But in one week we lost three games. That happened.
"It's in our hands. We don't depend on anyone else, and that's a good advantage," Guardiola said. "So we have six games. We have to win two or win one and draw two games."
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Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
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Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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