Liverpool title charge gathers momentum with City win

That’s it. The league title race is over! Liverpool will be crowned champions of the 2024/25 EPL season.

Even the Kopites believe it now.

“We’re gonna win the league!” they chanted after the masterful, controlled performance at the Etihad on Sunday.

They had been wary of jumping the gun after late slips in previous Premier League title races, but after Sunday’s 2-0 triumph, few would argue with them.

Arsenal’s misfire in losing 1-0 at home to West Ham on Saturday handed the Reds the advantage in the title race, and they pounced. Despite a surfeit of possession, and Jeremy Doku’s best efforts, Man City never laid a glove on the Anfield giants.

It was an imperious, clinical performance. Once the sublime Mo Salah got their opener against City few would have bet against anything but a Reds win. Especially without Haaland in their line-up.

How Salah’s contract extension is not yet sorted is a mystery. Gary Neville labelled it a title-winning performance in co-commentary for Sky Sports, no doubt through gritted teeth. The Gunners’ misfire on Saturday gave Liverpool a free swing of sorts against at the Etihad.

A friend who is a loyal Reds fan had commented on their nervy recent performances against Everton and Aston Villa but I explained that they wouldn’t be human otherwise. I pointed out that I would rather be ahead on points than behind. The gap was eight points at the time.

Arsenal would not go unbeaten in the run-in, I had reasoned, based on their form throughout the season. There was a reason they are second, and not top of the pile, after all.

It didn’t take long for Arsenal to prove me right. Even the Invincibles team would struggle to make up an 11-point gap on the rampant Reds. This Gunners team is nowhere near that.

For the Citizens it’s about chasing the Champions League places now, with Pep Guardiola’s focus on next season. They should do it at a canter, with cracks starting to show in the credentials of some of their rivals.

It would almost be a travesty if Nottingham Forest don’t make it, given their excellent performances this season.

They are still third but the wheels seem to have come off a bit of late. Leaking four goals in the first half after leading against Newcastle does not scream Champions League.

The Magpies, for their part, thought that was game over and took a nap in the second half. Eddie Howe was left pulling his hair out on the touchline in frustration. Had Forest been a bit more clinical they could have more than the three goals. In fact, they could have had all three points.

Newcastle did pull level with fourth-placed City on 44 points with that result.

Chelsea missed the chance to leapfrog both sides with another goalkeeping blunder. Robert Sanchez was benched for his erratic performances. Replacement Filip Jorgensen’s howler that gifted Aston Villa the winner will have Enzo Maresca scratching his head.

It’s no coincidence that Liverpool’s revival under Jurgen Klopp gathered pace with the arrival of Alison. Chelsea can learn from that. But that is just one of a myriad issues at the Bridge.

Marcus Rashford’s revival in form at Villa deserves special mention. The Manchester United reject is showing the drive and hustle that he had not shown at the Red Devils for a long time. He is still selfish and runs down blind alleys, however. Some things will never change.

Man United boss Ruben Amorim will have been pleased with the fight shown by his troops to peg back the Toffees and draw 2-2. But United’s strike force needs to contribute more to their GF tally. Another long to-do list there.

Tottenham seem to be over their recent slump, with the return from injury of some star names coinciding with an uptick in form. They will be hoping to go on a late push for European places.