With a three-point gap established at the summit now, City are on course to help deny a potential quadruple for the Reds.

Pep Guardiola has bemoaned that "everyone" in the United Kingdom supports Liverpool over his Manchester City side, as the two teams remain locked in a thrilling contest for the Premier League title.

City delivered a 5-0 rout of Newcastle to move three points ahead of the Reds following Jurgen Klopp's side's draw with Tottenham on Saturday, ensuring that the battle for the crown remains in their own hands.

But, coupled with a European exit for themselves and a Champions League final for their rivals - one piece of a potentially legendary quadruple puzzle for Liverpool - Guardiola feels that his side are being willed to fail at the expense of their rivals by the population at large.

A week ago, nobody [thought we would be champions]," Guardiola told beIN SPORTS at full-time. "Everyone in this country supports Liverpool, the media and everyone.

"Of course, Liverpool has an incredible history in Europe. Not in the Premier League - they've won one in 30 years. [But] the situation is what it is. We have to [take] nine points, maybe six right now.

"It depends what is going to happen over the next two games. Wednesday [against Wolves] is a real, real, real final for us. Our destiny is in our hands, and this is important."

With a trip to Wolves in midweek next on the agenda, City have just three games left this season to seal a successful defence of their league crown.

After the journey to Molineux, Guardiola's men will stay on the road to face West Ham, before they return home to host Aston Villa.