Pep Guardiola felt his Manchester City side raised the bar last season but has thanked title rivals Liverpool for doing the same. City won the Premier League with a record 100 points last season and by a biggest ever margin of 19 points.
This term they have been involved in a much tighter battle for the crown with Liverpool and it may take close to another century of points to see the Merseysiders off, Liverpool moved to 91 points on Friday after thrashing Huddersfield. City boss Guardiola, whose side will reach 98 points if they win their remaining three games, feels the two clubs have pushed each other on.
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He said: “People knew that before, with points, it was close to 90. Now you have to be close to 100, that was the standard last season. “We helped Liverpool to achieve that and Liverpool helped us to maintain this level. Thanks to Liverpool we are competing. “Liverpool realise to win the Premier League right now you have to make a lot of points. That’s what we have communicated to each other really well.
“You know when Usain Bolt makes a 100-metre race that’s the standard and the other people have to achieve it. For grand slams Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods – that is the standard, it’s the same. “One hundred points in a season – if you want to compete you have to do that.”
