Pep Guardiola hails Manchester City Premier League title triumph his toughest yet after Liverpool push them so close

HIGH TIMES: Manchester City players throw manager Pep Guardiola into the air as they celebrate winning the Premier League title Picture: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.

City pipped Liverpool to the league crown by just one point following a 4-1 win at Brighton to conclude the greatest title battle in top-flight history.

Sergio Aguero, Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan all hit the net as City stormed home at the Amex Stadium after Glenn Murray had given the Seagulls a shock 28th-minute lead.

City rattled off 14 successive victories to seal the title, with Guardiola then declaring his players and coaches are nowhere near satisfied.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp embraces Mohamed Salah after missing out on the Premier League title. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA

“That is the toughest league that we’ve won, the Premier League, Germany, Spain, that’s the toughest that we’ve won,” said Guardiola.

“I’m not going to deny it is exhausting but winning is so addictive and now we have the chance to win the FA Cup and a treble.

“Then we have to make decisions for next season to come back strong. Liverpool will maintain and so we have to be better.

“Competitive people are never satisfied, it’s never enough. We want more and more.

Liverpool's Sadio Mane celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game against Wolves at Anfield. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA

“And that’s why the second one, to make it back to back, shows me this kind of thing. It shows me it wasn’t enough (for the players), that one wasn’t enough.”

Murray headed Brighton into the lead to hand City a scare but that fright lasted just 83 seconds.

Aguero buried the visitors’ first chance, and after Laporte headed in from a corner 10 minutes later, Guardiola’s men never relented.

City have racked up 198 points across their consecutive title victories, with Guardiola claiming Liverpool’s chase has driven his side to new levels this term.

Liverpool’s 97-point haul would have won all but these last two league campaigns.

Jurgen Klopp congratulated City but hailed his side’s own brilliant season, the Reds wrapping up their campaign with a ninth successive win in a comfortable 2-0 home defeat of Wolves.

“Congratulations to Manchester City. They had an incredible season. We did as well but they won it,” said Klopp.

“We had an unbelievable season. I can read all the numbers. It would be nice to get an award for the biggest development I can remember - we made a big step.

“Everybody knows we will go again but if you really want something, you feel the disappointment as well. That is what we feel.