Pep Guardiola claims Man City ‘live for the title race’ and insists the Premier League champions will relish the pressure of being chased by Liverpool and Arsenal after returning to the top of the table for the first time in six months

If there was ever a moment when Pep Guardiola worried about Man City’s title defence, it was back in October and November, not now.

Back then, City’s stars lamented a grueling campaign, focus waning after a long year and trips felt longer than ever. Not now. Now City are in their element.

How often have they been here? Fighting on all fronts with so much more experience than their rivals to handle the pressure.

“They like to play under pressure,” Guardiola said after City’s demolition of Luton.

‘They like it when you’re dead or alive. It doesn’t mean we’re going to win the title, but I’m pretty sure we’ll be there until the end because I know them, I see their faces in meetings, before games and how they prepare.’

The Premier League champions are back at the top of the table for the first time in six months

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This victory over Luton, in which Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic all scored, saw City finish the day as league leaders for the first time since November.

It was back in December, after City lost at Aston Villa and then faltered with a 2-1 win at Luton, that Guardiola spoke to his players about focus and how, without it, this campaign could quickly fade away.

“You think: ‘This is a long, long season’ and that’s the moment when you try to do it but you’re not fully focused,” said the City boss.

‘We talked about it. The challengers we have in Arsenal and Liverpool, we cannot draw many games.

– The biggest difference between Arsenal, Liverpool and us is that they won a lot of points in stoppage time. All three teams have had incredible seasons.

‘But they won a lot of points for the talent they have because of this (late goal).

‘It’s a credit to them, not the other way around. But in those departments they are much better than us, but still we are there.

City beat Luton 5-1 on Saturday afternoon and face a crucial week

‘What a privilege. I could not change our position for any other team. What we have done this season, we live for. Playing for something, not playing for other things – the big trophies. And we’re still there. Again, it’s so good.’

This is a big week for City, with a Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Real Madrid on Wednesday, drawing 3-3, before an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday night.

The concern for City’s rivals is that they are peaking at just the right time. Nobody in the dressing room is struggling for focus now.