Danny Mills: Manchester City's exceptional talent can see them seal the title

Pep Guardiola reckons Manchester City will have to win all of their remaining Premier League games to retain their title – and Danny Mills is backing them to do just that.

City head for Leeds this weekend before fixtures against Newcastle, Wolves, West Ham and Aston Villa with Guardiola insisting nothing less than a maximum 15-point haul will be enough to fend off fast-finishing Liverpool.

And Mills, a former Manchester City defender who spent five seasons at the Etihad, sees no reason why they won't pull it off – and he also believes they can pip Liverpool to Champions League glory as well.

"City have got exceptional talent all over the pitch and if you look at their fixtures it's only West Ham who could be a problem," the ex-City and England right-back told Free Super Tips

"But West Ham could be looking at their own European ambitions by the time that game arrives so they could rest one or two.

"But even then I don't see any massive issues. Leeds at the weekend will not be easy, but Pep will rotate his squad and probably have too much.

"There's no reason why Manchester City shouldn't win every game until now and the end of the season."

City have won three in a row since FA Cup semi-final heartache at Wembley against Liverpool, beating Real Madrid 4-3 in a Champions League thriller in Manchester on Tuesday night.

It leaves the tie on a knife-edge heading to Madrid on Wednesday but Mills is confident City will prevail to set up a final showdown with Liverpool, who have one foot in the final after their 2-0 first-leg success against Villarreal.

"Liverpool are Manchester City's nemesis, as we saw in the FA Cup semi-final," admitted Mills. "But I would still back City in a one-off game because they swarm all over you.

"Their quality is exceptional, but their press and ability to put teams under pressure is superb and if they can do that to Liverpool for 90 minutes, then I think they'd win the game in a potential final."

While Mills is upbeat about one former club's double prospects, he's concerned that another club he graced, Leeds, could yet "crack" in the battle to avoid the drop.

Burnley's recent resurgence under Mike Jackson has suddenly dragged Leeds right back into the scrap to stay up with Jesse Marsch's side hovering two places and five points above 18th-placed Everton, who have a game in hand on the Whites.

Leeds have a far worse goal difference than either Burnley or Everton and three tough matches to come against Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea – and the one-time Elland Road favourite fears the pressure could be too much going into their last two games at home to Brighton and away at Brentford.

"Jesse Marsch has come in and done a good job in my opinion but if you look down there Leeds are very much still in it," said Mills.

"Leeds probably need another four points to guarantee safety, but they could pick up zero points in those next three games, and I can see Everton and Burnley picking up points in that time.

"Then you start to go into the last games of the season with a point or so in it and that becomes nervy.

"You do start to worry, and it can become one decision, one slip or mistake or one wonder goal that could be the difference. They're not out of the woods yet.

"It's in Leeds' hands, but if they don't get anything in those last three games, then you go into the last two thinking you need another three or four points. That's when it becomes pressure and sometimes when that pressure is on, that's when teams can crack."

Mills believes the final few weeks of the Premier League season will be exciting at both ends of the table, before the former England man can then start looking forward to next season and the World Cup.

Mills, England's first-choice right-back at the World Cup in Japan and South Korea 20 years ago, acknowledges Gareth Southgate is spoiled for choice for right-backs going into the 2022 finals, but believes Kyle Walker should fend off Trent Alexander-Arnold for the right to be the Three Lions' first choice.

"Walker he is the best mix of all attributes for what you need," said Mills.

"As a right-back in a back four I think he's the best option by far, he's the best defensively and can offer a lot going forward. He has tremendous pace to cover round as well.

"The argument is around Trent Alexander-Arnold going forward and his attacking prowess which I get completely. But I still think the way Liverpool play suits his style and he still gets caught out from time to time. Kyle Walker is the better option as an out and out right back.

"The challenge to that might be Kieran Trippier who, since he's arrived at Newcastle, has performed really well before that injury.

"Newcastle could be in great form going off what they're doing at the minute and if Kieran Trippier is playing well then, he has to come into it. Then there's Reece James at Chelsea. Gareth Southgate is blessed with quality right backs and it's not just about picking the best player. It's about picking the player that fits into the way you need to play and the opposition you're coming up against.

"But if they're all fit and all on form, then I still think Kyle Walker is the best option."

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport