Pep knows City won't coast home in 'toughest' game in front of his side

PEP Guardiola told City players to prove him wrong again with the toughest fixture left in their Premier League run-in.

-  SIMON BAJKOWSKI

City have the title race in their hands but will be four points behind leaders Arsenal when they play the first of their two games in hand at Brighton this evening.

As well as being tired from a relentless schedule, City's manager does not expect the Blues to face a tougher match in their six remaining than their next one.

Brighton may have struggled for consistency this season after adding the Europa League to their calendar but Guardiola's admiration for manager Roberto De Zerbi has grown and the Italian is still regarded as someone who could step into one of the bigger clubs.

With more time to prepare than City have had, the team will have to be at their best to leave the south coast with three points.

"They have been occupying my mind, trying to figure out how they are," said Guardiola.