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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Connor O'Neill

'Anything can happen' - Pep Guardiola makes Goodison Park atmosphere admission before Everton v Man City

Pep Guardiola has shut down suggestions he could be looking past Manchester City’s game against Everton and warned his side about what to expect at Goodison Park.

Sunday's trip to Merseyside comes in the middle of a massive Champions League semi-final tie with Real Madrid for City, who drew the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu 1-1 on Wednesday night.

The defending champions can open up a four-point gap at the top of the Premier League title race with a win over Everton given second-placed Arsenal do not host Brighton & Hove Albion until later on in the day.

READ MORE: Everton Premier League survival route clearer after Nottingham Forest draw at Chelsea

READ MORE: Eyes don't lie' - Sean Dyche explains why he thinks Everton have improved under his watch

Their opponents, on the other hand, head into the clash desperately needing to build on their emphatic 5-1 victory over Brighton on Monday as they attempt avoid relegation.

And when asked about the week City are about to face, Guardiola insisted the trip to Goodison remains a "top priority" and has warned his players they will face a physical test against Sean Dyche’s side.

He said: "Since I’ve been here, it’s always been so difficult because of the environment; they’re a front-foot team. The end of the season is really final, so our focus is on this game. My thought is just Everton. No more than that.

"It’s been 11 months working for the Premier League. We don’t have much time from Madrid because we play on Sunday, thank you so much. But it’s a real, real priority Goodison Park. We play for all competitions.

"We have to switch. Adapt. Four games left in the Premier League, and it’s important to us to be there to keep what we play for in our hands. We train tomorrow, and we have to prepare as well as possible.

"There was big results in the Premier League, but we thought in the last games everyone plays for something, and it will be tough. It can happen.

"They (Everton) scored the first goal (vs Brighton) in the first minute, a surprise for the two early goals; the physicality Everton have is really, really good. Anything can happen."

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