“It’s still in our hands,” said full-back Kyle Walker. “They have still got to catch us.”

But manager Guardiola rued the fact his side did not enjoy more reward for their display — and kill off Liverpool’s hopes.

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“The seasons, being there all the time (in the Premier League title race], the way we perform, I admire how we think to break the defenses,” he saidd.

“But I have the feeling we missed opportunities to beat them, a feeling that we leave them alive.

“We know that the opponent will fight to the end. We know that one game dropped and we will not be champions.”

It is the same for Liverpool, and Klopp said: “It is a result we have to live with and can live with. Seven games to go for both teams and we will not stop chasing now.”

Full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold hopes City will falter in the tense run-in, although his side have Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle and Spurs to follow in tough tests.

“Every week there is a surprising result in the Premier League,” he said. “We’re just hoping we are not on the end of one and City are. It is seven games, a lot can happen. Hopefully we make it exciting. It might go down to the last day again.”

And May 22 might not be the end of their duel either.

After Champions League quarter-final second-leg ties in midweek — which could yet lead to a final showdown between them in Paris — City and Liverpool will meet at Wembley on Saturday in the FA Cup semifinal.

It means that the Reds still have the chance of an unprecedented quadruple of trophies in one season, while City could claim three.

It is a fight to the finish — and few would be bold enough to predict the outcome.