Manchester City extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to 11 points with a 1-0 home win against Chelsea on Saturday. Liverpool remains in second place behind the reigning champions, while a succession of draws has seen Chelsea drop 12 points behind the Citizens.
As the Premier League title race approaches a crucial period, Pep Guardiola’s City appears to have a clear advantage. BettingGuide predictions show the Citizens as overwhelming favourites to lift their fourth title in five years. But can Liverpool mount a late push to challenge City in the second half of the season?
Liverpool’s Chances
Although Liverpool has only lost just two league matches this season, six draws leave them some way behind City. The Reds have generally been hard to beat in the 2021/22 campaign. The Merseysiders also held City and Chelsea (twice) to draws when they met earlier in the season.
Home form has been a strength for Jurgen Klopp’s side. They are the only team in the top-flight with an unbeaten home record and they have won their last five in a row at Anfield.
But the dropped points away may have already cost the Reds their title challenge. A 3-2 loss at West Ham and a shock 1-0 defeat to a second-string Leicester side helped City to garner their commanding lead. Draws at Tottenham and Brentford also cost the Red’s earlier in the season.
If Liverpool want to challenge City, they will need to improve their consistency away and maintain their impressive home form. The Reds face City at the Etihad in early April, a match that could potentially help the Manchester club seal another title.
Liverpool will hope that they have closed the gap by this stage. However, with the demands of the Champions League knockout stages, the FA Cup and a potential EFL Cup final, Liverpool face an uphill battle to chase down the Citizens.
Are City too strong again?
Even if Liverpool are at their absolute best from now until the end of the season, it’s hard to see how they can catch City.
On current form, City holds all the cards in the 2021/22 title race. It is impossible to ignore their sensational form since early November as they have put together a 12-match unbeaten run to create their 11-point gap.
When comparing Liverpool and City, the ability to see off teams lower in the table has been the difference. City has also lost two matches this season, to Tottenham and Crystal Palace. However, they have only drawn two fixtures, one of which was against Liverpool at Anfield.
The Citizens have taken maximum points off the likes of Brentford, West Ham, Leicester and Chelsea this season. These results have set City apart from the chasing pack, and their ability to see off most teams in the Premier League has created an early advantage.
Guardiola’s side has also shown their balance between dominant displays and digging in when necessary. 7-0, 4-0, and 6-3 results against Leeds, Newcastle and Leicester came before gritty 1-0 and 2-1 wins at Arsenal, for example. This experience and know-how are traits that elevate City into potential Premier League winners at the halfway stage of the season.