Riyad Mahrez: If we want to win the league, we will have to be ready

Riyad Mahrez says if Manchester City want to win the premier league again for the fifth time in Pep Guardiola’s tenure, they have to be ready as soon as soon as the league starts again.

City resumed their second half of the season following the World Cup break with a friendly match against their sister club Girona FC followed by a Carabao Cup clash against Liverpool.

The Blues emerged victorious in both matches with the latter being the match that saw them qualify for the quarter-finals of the League Cup after beating Liverpool in a 5 goals thriller.

WATCH MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Man City 3-2 Liverpool – a 5 goals Carabao Cup thriller

But attentions turn back to the league commitments on Wednesday evening, with Pep Guardiola’s men currently in second position and five points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Boasting the strongest attack in the division and having lost just twice so far, Man City are in a healthy position to mount another title charge with the season yet to reach the halfway stage.

Riyad Mahrez who returned in top form after the World Cup break insists a strong start on City’s Premier League return at Elland Road could prove essential to those aspirations of silverware.

“We have to hit the ground running. We are not currently top of the Premier League and that is where we want to be,” he said.

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“We will take it game by game but our aim to try to win another title.

“There are lots of strong teams in England who could still win the league so we are not just focused on Arsenal, although they have been very good so far.

“If we want to win the league, we will have to be ready as soon as the league starts again.”

Mahrez is under no illusions about the threat Leeds United will pose at Elland Road, but he insists he and his team-mates are fully prepared for the challenge.

He explained: “Leeds are a big club and it’s a hard place to go but we know what to expect from them.

“We will be prepared for it and hopefully we can come away with the three points.”