Pep Guardiola fears Manchester City's outstanding English Premier League campaign will only be remembered well if they clinch the title.
City have clocked up 95 points in their defence of the crown - a figure that was a competition record until last year - but victory is not yet secure.
That is because Liverpool, who have 94, have taken the battle to the final game of the season in a remarkable title race.
City will need to win at Brighton in their last fixture to be sure of claiming another prize. Anything less could allow Liverpool, who host Wolves, to nip ahead of them to claim their first title in forever.
Whatever the outcome, City boss Guardiola feels his players should be proud of the season they have produced - but he thinks not everybody may view it kindly.
"I'm not going to change my opinion on what we have done, but of course, to get more credit, you have to win," Guardiola said on Saturday (NZ time).
"We saw in the Champions League - when you are out, everybody destroyed the teams, destroyed managers, destroyed clubs, [even though] they are doing well.
"We know the life in which we live. I know we will be judged. We have to win."
City, who have already won the Carabao Cup, can become the first side to win the domestic treble if they succeed on Monday and follow up by beating Watford in next week's FA Cup final.
At one stage City trailed Liverpool by seven points - and it could have been 10 had they lost to the Reds in January - and Guardiola feels that to be in this position is already a triumph.
"First of all, it's a dream to be here. I didn't expect it, when we were seven points behind against this Liverpool, to be in the position we are now," he told a press conference.
"We've shown many things but now is not the moment to say how well we've done.
"We have the chance to be champions if we win our game and that's what we have to do."
City's last four wins - against Tottenham, Manchester United, Burnley and Leicester - have come under intense pressure with Liverpool not relenting in their pursuit of a first title since 1990.
"We must play well, be strong mentally, knowing it will be tough. We focus on the game - how we want to play - and not worry too much," Guardiola said.
"If the game is running into problems, [we must] be calm and think about what we have to do. You may have to go crazy in the last five, 10, 15 minutes but before that, we have a plan and follow the plan to win the game - what we have done all season."
AAP
