CITY, LIVERPOOL SET FOR EPIC TITLE RACE
Klopp’s team regain lead at the top but Guardiola’s side have a game in hand
THIS could well be the tightest Premier League title race ever, with Manchester City’s defence of the crown in their own hands.
City are two points behind Liverpool with a game in hand after Jurgen Klopp’s side battled to a 2-1 win at Fulham on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola is still hunting for an unprecedented quadruple but is on record as saying the league is the trophy that would mean the most to him.
Both managers are expecting to drop points from now until May 12 and neither can say they have a comfortable run-in. The baton has changed hands a number of times and that should continue.
Liverpool are desperate for a first league title in 29 years. City are desperate to become the first club in a decade to retain a crown.
Guardiola admitted he is ‘praying’ that none of his stars pick up injuries while away with their countries and both clubs do have key players resting instead of flying across the continent.
looks at the next fortnight and beyond ahead of the final games of this absorbing campaign.
City have a decent number of big names without any international commitments. Lionel Scaloni decided against picking Sergio Aguero for Argentina’s fixtures, while the same goes for Aymeric Laporte and France. Both now have the chance to jet off on holiday for a few days.
There are also injuries that Guardiola expects to clear up before the champions go to Fulham on March 30. Two-thirds of his first-choice midfield — Fernandinho and Kevin De Bruyne — are a couple he hopes to have fit and ready for the run-in.
Vincent Kompany and Benjamin Mendy are continuing with their recoveries and Nicolas Otamendi withdrew from the Argentina squad after sustaining a sprained ankle.
England’s medical staff will check on John Stones before he then returns to the North West with a groin problem. Fabian Delph pulled out yesterday.
Riyad Mahrez travels the furthest as Algeria play two home games against Gambia and Tunisia. Both City and Liverpool are boosted by Brazil playing in Europe over this week.
Three from each club are with Tite’s side as they prepare to face Panama in Porto before travelling to Czech Republic.
That Mohamed Salah is exempt from Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations qualification clashes is good news for Klopp, whose only star flying a significant distance is Senegal’s Sadio Mane.
Andrew Robertson has pulled out of Scotland’s trip to Kazakhstan with dental surgery but has not yet been ruled out of facing San Marino.
Jordan Henderson looks set to go the same way as Stones with England, while other squad players will have the fortnight off. Naby Keita is not hooking up with Guinea.
The Champions League draw was favourable to both. For Liverpool, Porto are possibly the weakest team left in the competition and Tottenham represents familiarity and decent travel arrangements for City.
Guardiola’s side will have at least two more games to play than Liverpool after squeezing past Swansea City in the FA Cup quarter-finals. The Manchester derby at Old Trafford had been put back until April 24 as a result of City reaching the last eight.
Their FA Cup semi-final is against Brighton and the Premier League game on April 6, at home to Cardiff, will be rescheduled — probably to the midweek prior.
So there is already a little bit of movement for Guardiola, while Liverpool’s lack of FA Cup action means their weekends remain as planned.
Liverpool do also have that extra 24 hours to recuperate after the international break too.
Klopp faces Tottenham late on that Sunday whereas City are in the capital to meet Fulham on Saturday lunchtime.
These are fine margins and the final few weeks are only going to become more chaotic if — as expected — both clubs find themselves in the last four of the Champions League.