AYMERIC LAPORTE helped Manchester City back to the top of the table — and left Liverpool playing catch-up in the title race.
Gabriel Jesus added an injury-time second as Pep Guardiola’s men went above the Merseysiders on goal difference.
And Brazilian Jesus roared: “It’s really, really important to be top. We want to play well in every game and at the end of the season we want the title.
“Our confidence has come back because we’ve won two big games against Arsenal and Everton.”
Boss Guardiola saluted his weary heroes after City’s third match in eight days.
He said: “It’s good to be top but now we must rest. In four days we have another game against a big bull, Chelsea, who will have had seven days to prepare.
“This is a real final for us and a really, really big test. If we are able to take these points, we are going to take a huge step forward.
“We have a game every three days for three months. I don’t know how far we will get, maybe we will die in the road. But we are trying.
“We have played one more game but I don’t think too much about that — four or five days ago we could have been seven points behind.
“It is a lesson to never give up.”
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Laporte made amends for missing an early sitter with a thumping header from David Silva’s free-kick in first-half injury time and Jesus nicked No 2 in added time at the end.
Last night’s clash was shifted forward after City reached the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea.
So Liverpool will keep a game in hand on City until they go to Manchester United on February 24.
Guardiola added: “We are leaders but there are 12 games to play.
“We are going to drop points, hopefully as few as possible. And the opponents are going to drop points.
“I don’t think anyone is going to win 12 games in a row.”
Liverpool face Bournemouth on Saturday before City’s Etihad date with Chelsea on Sunday.
City have a rare free midweek after Sunday’s clash before facing Newport in the FA Cup, Schalke in the Champions League, Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and then West Ham and Bournemouth — all in the space of 21 days.
But Guardiola is not fazed by the fixture list, insisting: “It is what it is. Normally when you play four competitions it happens — and it’s happened.
“When I was in Munich and Barcelona I listened to old managers like Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafa Benitez complain about their schedules and nothing happened.
“That’s why when I arrived here I said that I understood the situation.
“If we would play just one competition our schedule would be easier. When we play four, we have to adapt.
“The Premier League say we have to play there on that day, we take the bus or the plane in the right time and play.”
Everton’s defeat put more heat on Marco Silva.
Laporte’s goal was the 12th Toffees have conceded from set-pieces this season — the most in the Premier League.
Adding in cup goals, it is now an alarming 16 conceded in 29 games.
Boss Silva said: “Bad things come too easy but just by working like we did tonight, things will change for us.
“We need to be aggressive at set-pieces.
“It was a good delivery but we have to challenge — 99 per cent of teams defend the same way but when you are so negative about something, sometimes bad things come to you.”
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News Photo Guardiola says ‘maybe we’ll die in the road’ as he refuses to get carried away with Man City’s Premier League lead
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