Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola scoffed at suggestions that his team could look back on this season as a special one if it clinches a Champions League berth.

City took a big step toward securing European qualification with its 2-1 Premier League win over Aston Villa on Tuesday thanks to Matheus Nunes's 94th-minute strike.

Guardiola's men climbed two spots to third in the league table, still 18 points behind leader Liverpool, and so will finish well short of the club's early-season goal of capturing a historic fifth consecutive league title.