Saturday’s emphatic 5-1 home win over Wolves moved Guardiola’s side to within a point of leaders Arsenal and armed with a crucial game in hand.
It means if City win our remaining three league games, we will be champions again – regardless of what Arsenal do in their last two games.
Guardiola however is taking nothing for granted with tough trips to Fulham and Spurs still to navigate before we then play host to West Ham in the season finale on May 19.
“We play Fulham and have to win. Arsenal know they have to win,” Guardiola pointed out.
“All the staff and the fans know it. One mistake and you will not win the Premier League.
“The players know that if we don’t win, ciao ciao bye bye.
“We play Fulham, they play Manchester United [away]. It’s difficult.
“You see the level of consistency with Arsenal but you smell they are not going to lose the two games they have.
“I am not in the mind of the Arsenal fans. They do what they have to do in the games.
“Fulham has been tough for us, Spurs we have never won [away] before in the Premier League.
“The situation we are in, it will not be easy.
“Three games, it is in our hands. If we win the games, we will be champions.
“It’s going to be easy? No but it’s in our hands.”
The two penalties that Haaland converted as part of his latest quartet made it 16 successful spot kicks out of 18 in his time at City so far.
And for Guardiola that successful strike rate only spoke volumes as to Haaland’s confidence and supreme technique
“He has mental strength with the skills as well,” Pep pointed out.
“People say ‘penalties are lucky,’ it’s not lucky.
“If you are a good taker, you have a better chance. Of course, he is going to miss penalties but everyone knows he’s a good taker with speed.
“He thinks I am going to take the penalty and I am going to score.
“He has the confidence.”
