Pep Guardiola is relishing the tension as Manchester City seek to hold off Liverpool in a gripping Premier League title race.
City are one point clear of their rivals ahead of their home game against struggling Watford on Saturday.
Victory would take them a step closer to retaining the title, with five games left for both teams after this weekend, but Liverpool will stay hot on City’s heels if they win Sunday’s Merseyside derby against lowly Everton.
Guardiola said he was relishing every moment of the nerve-jangling sprint to the Premier League finish line.
“Of course we enjoy it,” he said on Friday. “We’d prefer to be in this position than not, having the chance to try to make back-to-back titles.