MANCHESTER -- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Chelsea deserve to be top of the Premier League because they have been the best side in the Premier League this season.
But Guardiola says it has helped that Chelsea have had more time to prepare for matches because they have had no European football.
Chelsea are 11 points ahead of City with the sides meeting at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday but Guardiola is not ready to give up on catching the leaders just yet.
"Chelsea deserve to be where they are. They won an amount of points and won a lot of games in a row so they deserve to be there," the City boss told a news conference.
"It is another game, nine left, we have to take points as much as possible to be there and after we will see."
After missing out on European football this season, Antonio Conte's side have played 10 games fewer with City competing in the Champions League.
But Guardiola says they can't use it as an excuse for failing to put in a more concerted challenge for the title.
"Obviously they play less games, they and Liverpool play much, much less -- both of them they have more time to prepare what the manager wants to prepare," he added.
"But in my opinion, next season Chelsea will be in Europe and will be a tough team again. All the players they have quality and the mentality in the bug clubs to play in two or three competitions at the same time."
City were beaten 3-1 at home when the two sides met at the Etihad with Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho both sent off in the dying minutes.
Aguero was given a four-match ban after a dangerous two-footed tackle on David Luiz, which Conte says is still giving the defender pain, while Fernandinho saw red for pushing Cesc Fabregas in a melee that ensued. But Guardiola defended his players and insisted they are not dirty players.
"We can talk about Sergio and many things but we are not to going to talk about Sergio not being calm. We are not to going to say Sergio Aguero is a dangerous player, please," he added.
"What happened in that game happened many, many things. We were 1-0 up, we created unbelievable chances to go 2-0 or 3-0 and after circumstances that we cannot control that were amazing, the reaction what happened with Sergio and Fernandinho is our frustration because Fernandinho is not one of those guys is aggressive, one of the sweetest and nicest guys I have ever met. What happened, happened. Sergio and Fernandinho are nice guys."