Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola taking no encouragement from Liverpool defeat to Barcelona

Jurgen Klopp’s side lost 3-0 at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night’s first leg, despite playing well and coming close to scoring an away goal

Pep Guardiola does not expect that Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final defeat in Barcelona will have a bearing on the remainder of the Premier League title race.

Jurgen Klopp’s side lost 3-0 at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night’s first leg, despite playing well and coming close to scoring a vital away goal on several occasions.

Liverpool must now travel to Newcastle United for the penultimate game of their league campaign, less than 72 hours after losing in Catalonia.

Guardiola’s Manchester City sit one point clear at the top of the table and only play on Monday night, when Leicester City visit the Etihad.

The City manager does not think Liverpool to be affected by Wednesday’s result and was hugely impressed with their performance, despite the defeat.

“The game was incredibly good, both sides were incredible,” he said. “Liverpool were outstanding and a good performance from both. I enjoyed watching it.

“I don’t think [it will affect them], really. Of course Newcastle is not easy, like Leicester is not easy. We are going to see what happens but they’ll be well prepared to try to win.”

Both Newcastle and Leicester have former Liverpool managers at the helm – with Rafael Benitez hosting his former club and Brendan Rodgers travelling to City.

Neither have much left to play for during these final weeks of the season, but Guardiola dismissed the suggestion that they will lack motivation.

“That’s not going to happen,” Guardiola said. “The manager and the players, when they are in front of the people, they want to make a good performance.

“The question makes no sense, forget about it. I cannot imagine that the Leicester players will come here for their holidays.

“Maybe they have a chance to finish seventh, depending on results. That is not goingto happen. They will try to make a good game.”

“I think they will press high, good counter-attacks, quality in the middle. They are going to attack, like [Rodgers’] Celtic did here and at Celtic Park, what we saw in the last games.

“He played against Arsenal with 11 against 11 – not 10 against 11 in the second half – and they were better. It’s a good side, a really good team.

Guardiola added: “It’s the same. Brendan and Rafa were in Liverpool in the past but they’ll want to win.

“I cannot imagine going to a former club and not wanting to win, even if I don’t need to. You want the prestige, they want to win. I don’t have doubts about that.

“It makes no sense this kind of question. All the players and the managers will want to win, they want to do a good performance.”