Who has the edge?
The 2023/24 Premier League season has been an enthralling one thus far, producing memorable moments, incredible goals, shock results and a three-way title race between Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. With just one point separating third place from second and first, this campaign promises to boast one of the more exhilarating finishes to the league in recent history, writes Soccer Laduma’s Junaid Benjamin.
The race heats up!
With pressure weighing heavy on the shoulders Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal, all three teams remained firm, holding their nerve as they refused to crumble this past weekend.
No side managed to gain a considerable advantage, which many neutrals hope will be the case right until the final day as that would set up an exciting conclusion before the champions are deservedly crowned. Selecting a favourite, however, is a monumental task on its own. The latest round of fixtures saw the Citizens take on the Reds in an encounter that ended all square at 1-1 on Sunday.
The Sky Blues took the lead in the 23rd minute when the ever-reliable John Stones finished off a clever corner routine by Kevin De Bruyne, but an Alexis Mac Allister penalty after Ederson brought down Darwin Nunez in the penalty area in the second half ensured that both sides left Anfield with a point apiece. Following that result, Guardiola reflected on the title race and spoke highly of his competitors.
“It is a game that defined where both clubs have been for many years,” the Spaniard said. “This is our opponent and not one time [have they] dropped, maybe one season but always they will be there. Today, I reflected with the guys what we have done over the years against Jurgen Klopp’s team. Give us more credit for what we have done. To us already, it was clear. Arsenal, last year, came back and stayed there for a long time because they are a young team with an exceptional manager. There are still 10 games to play, 30 points to play for, one point difference. Still, we are there. That is the important thing.”
His German counterpart, meanwhile, admitted that the situation he currently finds himself is new to him, but added that he doesn’t think it changes much.
Klopp said: “I don’t think I have ever been involved in a title race with three teams. Germany was usually Bayern [Munich], but in one year we became champions, it was [Bayer]
Leverkusen. And here, there was only one team who became champions usually and we stepped in between one time. I don’t think there was a third time around. I don’t know. I literally don’t know if it changes something. We have 10 games to play, so obviously nothing is decided.”
It seems to have been the final EPL encounter between rivals Klopp and Guardiola as bosses of their respective teams for the foreseeable future, with the German tactician having confirmed he will be departing the Merseyside club at the end of the season, adding an extra element in the battle for the English championship. While City are looking to win a fourth consecutive title, the Reds will be highly motivated to give the manager who helped the club reach its previous heights receive a good send-off and there is very little better than wishing him farewell while holding a league title.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, meanwhile, will be desperate to correct last year’s errors by not letting the prospect of becoming top-flight champions slip through their grasps once again, and ending the campaign in the position they currently occupy, first place.
They took a step in the right direction by beating Brentford 2-1 on Saturday, becoming the fourth side to win each of their first eight Premier League games of a calendar year. The only other teams to have done so are Manchester United in 2009, Liverpool in 2020, and City in 2021, and they all went on to win the title.
Arteta and his men will be hoping that is the case this time around too! His side showed what they were made of with a late winner courtesy of Kai Havertz after Yoanne Wissa cancelled out Declan Rice’s 19th-minute opener in first half’s stoppage time.
As the hunt for silverware reaches its climax, the one point that separates the three giants after 28 games is the first time such a picture has been painted since 2014. With neither of the three sides participating in league action for the next three weeks due to FA Cup action as well as an international break, the wait to see what happens next will be treacherously long.
It will, however, most likely be worth the wait because on 31 March, the Reds will play against Brighton & Hove Albion, while the Sky Blues host the Gunners. So, who holds the advantage as crunch time looms?
Manchester City
The side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on 6 December and following that result, questions about the club’s contention for the title were asked. Guardiola and his men, however, have answered them emphatically by going unbeaten since that loss at Villa Park.
What could also help them cross the line is the experience they have in their squad. When the pressure was at its peak around this time last year, Arsenal folded but City thrived, winning the championship convincingly in the end.
They have also been boosted by the return of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland who were out for considerable periods due to injury. Despite missing two of their key players, though, the Citizens still managed to grind out results.
Heading into the crucial end period, however, goalkeeper Ederson has sustained an injury, with Guardiola saying: “It doesn’t look good.” The only other City player on the sidelines is Jack Grealish, although he is reported to be set to make a return at the end of March. With 10 fixtures remaining, the Sky Blues are in a good position as they prepare for crunch encounters against Arsenal, Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, where City have never won in the Premier League under Guardiola.
Liverpool
The Reds also have a few interesting encounters in the final stretch, with the standout match-ups being against the Red Devils at Old Trafford, Spurs, the Villans, and bitter local rivals Everton. Heading into those fixtures, Klopp will be boosted by the returns of Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Darwin Nunez.
He will, however, be without Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Joel Matip, and Ben Doak. France defender Ibrahima Konate is said to be on the verge of a return and could feature when the Merseyside outfit takes on United in an FA Cup quarter-final clash later this month.
The German tactician and his youngsters must be applauded for what they have achieved so far in this campaign, but they will need some key first-team players back to make their task a little bit easier.
“We need the players back,” Klopp said. “All the stories we created with the kids and stuff are wonderful, wonderful, I couldn’t be happier about that, but of course, we fight for the biggest prize in football.”
Arsenal
As they did last season, the Gunners, led by Arteta, occupy first position with 64 points and a goal difference of 46 after 28 matches, having scored 70 times and conceded just 24 strikes.
This has led them to 20 wins, four draws and four losses. Things are looking up for the Gunners on the individual front too. Havertz’s late winner against the Bees was his fourth in consecutive league appearances. It was also the first time Rice, who netted the opener, scored in back-toback games in the competition.
He now has seven goal contributions for the campaign and will be hoping to add more in a bid to help his team to their first EPL trophy since the Invincibles claimed it in 2004. Arsenal’s title charge started to fade at a similar stage last year; they were, however, plagued with injuries to key players, which does not seem to currently be the case.
Gabriel Martinelli is currently sidelined after being forced off the pitch during a clash against Sheffield United, but the only other players making up their injuries list are Takehiro Tomiyasu, who is reportedly close to a return, and Jurrien Timber, who suffered a knee injury during his debut for the club earlier this season but the Dutchman is understood to have already returned to training with his teammates.
The only thing potentially stopping the Gunners from a clear run at the silverware on offer is a challenging fixture list that consists of clashes with City, Villa, Spurs, United and London rivals Chelsea. Their run is considered to be the toughest of the three title contenders!