Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson recently shared his take on the fate of the Premier League title when he wrote in his column stating, “It was a big result against Tottenham having also come back against Man Utd to draw 1-1.
“They were also behind against Tottenham and on their day and when they’ve got all their players fit, Spurs are a good team, but Liverpool came back there again.
“That’s four points they’ve won from behind in two hard games so they’re ticking the boxes of champions at the moment.
“But it’s still in Man City’s hands because if they beat Liverpool twice, they’ll win the league and that’s how good this Man City team is as well.
“For me, if I was Liverpool and drew at home to Man City in a few weeks, I’d be doing cartwheels.
“That means then that Liverpool would have to lose three or four games until the end of the season not to win the league because Man City are going to lose one or two and if they do, that means Liverpool can lose another couple on top of that.
“So it’s a massive game coming up in a couple of weeks.”
Merson’s Opinion: More Fiction, Less Fact
Merson has made a bold claim when he tips that Man City are still the favourites to win the Premier League title as he is basing his opinion on fiction. He is expecting the Citizens to secure maximum points on both their league meetings with Liverpool this season. However, the fact remains that Pep Guardiola has currently got an injury-crisis in defence with Rodri, Aymeric Laporte and Oleksandr Zinchenko all sidelined due to injury. The way things are going for both clubs, Man City are unlikely to be going in as the favourites for their upcoming league clash against Jurgen Klopp’s men at Anfield next month.
Liverpool currently holds the joint-best defensive record in the English top-flight along with Leicester City after conceding just eight goals in ten matches so far. Furthermore, the Reds have won all of their home matches this season and have not lost at Anfield in the Premier League for over two years. The last time Klopp’s players lost a league game in front of their home supporters was on April 23, 2017, when Crystal Palace emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline.
The Counterargument
Both history and recent form suggest that the Merseyside club will likely get something out of their match versus the Citizens. However, football is unpredictable, so there is a chance that Man City can come away with maximum points from Anfield next month.
Guardiola’s side boasts the best offensive record in the division having scored 32 goals in ten league matches so far. The Mancunian outfit has the firepower to rip apart any defence when they are firing on all cylinders. However, their attackers were poor with their finishing in their home matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers this season which has cost them four points in total. So there is a chance that they might fire blanks when the pressure is on them to perform at a tough place like Anfield.
Is Merson Right With His Assessment?
The English champions will need to be flawless from this point on if they are to overcome the six-point gap and catch Liverpool at the top of the Premier League standings. However, Merson makes little sense when he claims that the title is in Man City’s hands. The league table does not lie, and it currently indicates that Klopp’s team are currently in pole position to end their long wait for a league title. Even then, we can expect a lot of twists and turns in what is set up to an exciting title race between two of the best football teams of this modern era.
