Just three points cover Liverpool, Arsenal and City ahead of our game against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park at 12:30 (UK) on Saturday.
With eight games remaining, any dropped points could have a major impact on the title race.
But Guardiola says we can only try to win every match between now and the end of the season and see what happens with our rivals.
“I hope [they drop ponts] but that doesn’t solve the problem if we don’t do our job,” the City boss said at his news conference. “We have to win the eight games left and wait.
“If we were top of the league it would be in our hands but that’s not the case.
“What we have to do is win our games - if it happens then good but we cannot control it. We can control the destiny in our games, that’s all.”
CRYSTAL PALACE V CITY | MATCH PREVIEW
Palace took a point from the Etihad in the earlier in the season when they fought back from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw with an injury time penalty.
City have won 10 of our 13 games since, drawing the other three, but remain three points off the top.
Pep said the quality of our rivals underlines how difficult it is to win every title as we chase a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League crown.
“The quality of the opponents, it is what it is,” he said.
“We have to keep going and at the end we will see or realise that the team was there, that’s for sure.”
City go into the game of the back of an impressive victory over Aston Villa in midweek with Phil Foden scoring his second hat-trick of the season in a 4-1 win.
He now has 21 goals and 10 assists in all competitions and the boss said the central role is giving more opportunity to make a difference close to goal.
“He can play in many positions but if he wants to score goals he has to be close to the box and if you play central you have more opportunities to score goals,” Guardiola added.
