Manchester City boss Guardiola has a warning for Premier League leaders Liverpool

Former Barca boss believes it is not easy to be on top of the Premier League table

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has sent out a warning to the Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Citizens boss has addressed the Reds' top position on the league table and said that it is not easy to be the leaders.

Liverpool are currently on 51 points with second-placed Tottenham six points behind them.

Meanwhile, defending champions City are on the third position with 44 points courtesy consecutive losses in their last two outings at the hands of Crystal Palace and Leicester.

"From January, February last season people said, 'The Premier League is over'. To live with that is not easy," said the City boss.

"One month ago people said about (the match against) Liverpool and before (then) we had three or four games. Football is that you are able to win a lot of games and you are able to lose a lot of games. When I was at Barcelona for one period I lost four games in a row."

City have lost three out of their last four league matches but Guardiola is confident that his charges will bounce back.

City play against Southampton before they host Liverpool.

"The less important issue is Liverpool, we have to think about Southampton," he said. "I don't forget who we are, how good a team we are, how exceptional these lads I have in the locker room are.

"The reality is we have lost three in four games and the last two. If you want to be real contenders you have to win again. If you don't, it will not be possible."