As Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp put it: “The next Premier League game is a big one – we can’t hide from that.”
As recently as January, few would have looked at Manchester City versus Liverpool on 10 April as being quite such a huge game in the title race.
When City beat Chelsea 1-0 on 15 January, they moved 14 points clear at the top and, although the Reds had two games in hand, it looked as though Pep Guardiola’s side were seemingly running in a one-horse race.
But since then, Liverpool have won every Premier League game they have played and victory over Watford on Saturday lifted them to the top of the table, albeit briefly.
Indeed, Klopp had barely taken his seat in the post-match news conference when City had opened the scoring in their game against Burnley to return to the summit in the as-it-stands table.
“So City have already killed one of your questions, huh?” quipped Klopp as he sat down, aware that a large focus of journalists’ questions would be about the upcoming match with City, rather than the Watford win.
The professional view is that the game is huge, too. Former England captain Alan Shearer, ex-Wales captain Ashley Williams and former Scotland striker James McFadden have all suggested next weekend’s game is critical to the destiny of the title. – BBC.
