Guardiola: Watford game is a final for Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has described his side’s final game of the season against Watford as a ‘cup final’, such is the importance of a third-place finish.

A win on Sunday afternoon would ensure City automatic qualification for the Champions League and avoid a play-off at the beginning of the new season.

Guardiola’s men were in fine form on Tuesday night as they eased to a 3-1 victory over West Brom with Gabriel Jesus, Kevin de Bruyne and Yaya Toure all scoring.

The Citizens cannot finish any higher than third this season however with Chelsea and Tottenham out of reach and Guardiola knows improvements must be made ahead of the new campaign.

“It’s a crucial game for us, absolutely a final. It’s in our hands. Just look at we have to do, win the game against a team who at home over the season made a good result,” he said.

“Every game is pressure, every game we play with everything.

(Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

“It’s in our hands. It depends not on Arsenal or Liverpool. We have to go there and win the game. The good teams always fight until the end.

“We are going to finish the season with 15 or 17 points behind the first and second in the league, the gap is big, so we have to work harder next season to reduce that gap.

“I was so happy working in this club, that’s the important thing.”