Overhauling Liverpool just another challenge for Guardiola at Man City

Manchester, July 2: Pep Guardiola recognises Manchester City "can't win all the time", but he is keen to take on his latest challenge and catch Liverpool next season.

After coming a close second to City last term, Liverpool have won the Premier League title for the first time in 2019-20, ending a 30-year wait for a 19th top-flight championship.

The Reds have done it in dominant fashion, too, with a 23-point gap between the new and former champions ahead of Thursday's clash at the Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola accepts Liverpool deserve their success, yet he will bid to respond next season after first using their midweek match as preparation for key FA Cup and Champions League fixtures.

"I had many challenges in my career, this is one more," Guardiola told reporters.

"Other people say I'm a big failure because I didn't win the Champions League here and with Bayern Munich, but the challenge is to work to compete like in the past - even if we didn't get the results we expected as a team for any circumstances we cannot control.

"We know the quality [Liverpool] have. It will be good for our game against Arsenal, Real Madrid; how is our position, our level in terms of playing key moments in tough competitions against good teams?

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"We have to prepare for next season. Of course, we lost the Premier League with seven games left and more than 20 points, and the challenge was to win the league this season again.

"It didn't happen because we weren't as consistent as previous seasons. It was incredible consistency.

"But you look at what Liverpool have done and it's almost impossible. All you can do is accept it. You can't win all the time, do well all the time.

"I think for the football and society, it's good – they deserve it. We try to learn from our mistakes, like from what we have done with consistency in the past, and try to apply it next season.

"That's not to assure you that what we have done this season is to happen better next season or worse - the same as when we won the two Premier Leagues in a row.

"Every game, every time, it is to prove again who we are, so to live for the past is ridiculous.

"You may say I don't have to show anything. Yeah, you have to show it again and again to be part of big clubs or this business. Everyone has to do their best."