Guardiola: You said we were the favourites, the most beautiful and handsome last season, but Chelsea killed us

Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City side being labelled Premier League title favourites again means nothing after Chelsea 'killed them' in the race last season.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Picture by PW Sporting PicsManchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Picture by PW Sporting Pics
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Picture by PW Sporting Pics

The former Barcelona boss was quick to point out that people also had his side down as the front runners last season.

Antonio Conte's Chelsea ended up champions finishing seven points clear of Tottenham Hotspur with City 15 points off the pace in third.

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Brighton & Hove Albion managed to hold the Manchester giants for 70 minutes on Saturday, before a Sergio Aguero strike and Lewis Dunk own goal got them off to a winning start.

It was a result that plenty of people expected, but Albion could take plenty of positives from a decent display against a side which is chasing Premier League glory.

On being installed as the top pick, Guardiola said: "Last season, I was sitting here after the Sunderland game and you said 'you are the favourites, you are the most beautiful and handsome'. And you know what happened last season? Chelsea killed us.

"It's ok we accept that and we have to try and improve, which we have done and we are getting getting better. But who are the favourites is your job not ours."

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On whether he was annoyed at being labelled as favourites, the Spaniard replied: "No. I cannot control it, you tell me what I can control. As a manager, last season was the same and look what happened, but I used to that. I was manager at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and guys everyone says we are favourites, but I can handle that.

"The frustration in football it takes one week. After the new illusiion is coming, last season we were third, the frustation, one week. People say it's a disaster, ok, always one week later we say what we can do to be better next season. That is the sport, I am a fan of sport, sometimes you win sometimes you do not.

"Last season we were a humble team and an honest team, whatever we did we played with the best intentions, but it was not enough, so we try again this season."