Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IT’S ALL CROWN TO EXPERIENCE
Title-winning know-how gives City edge over Reds says Zaba
MANCHESTER City’s titlewinning experience will be key in their race with Liverpool for the Premier League, claims Blues great Pablo Zabaleta.
City have won three Premier League titles in contrast to Liverpool, who are trying to end their 29-year wait to be champions.
Zabaleta was part of City’s successes in 2012 and 2014 and claims it is an advantage for the Blues to be able to draw on this experience.
City came from behind to claim the title in both those seasons and Zabaleta says stalwarts like Sergio Aguero, David Silva (right) and Vincent Kompany can pass on vital knowledge to their team- mates. “Everybody around Liverpool and the fans are just waiting for that Premier League title,” said the West Ham defender after their defeat at the Etihad on Wednesday.
“City have won it three times in the last few years. It’s important to have won the Premier League previously because we’ve been in this situation before.
“Both times we won the league, we were behind the leaders at this point. Some players in the dressing room now have experience of that.
“It’ll help for the rest of the players. They can talk to them, keep everyone focused and tell them their experiences. Not the third one last season, but the first two when we were behind. That’s going to be key.”
Zabaleta is rooting for City and senses Liverpool have been feeling the weight of expectation from their fans who are so desperate for them to end their long title wait.
“You can see some of the Liverpool fans, they’ve been waiting for that Premier League title and when the teams are not playing well, it seems the fans are a little bit tense,” he said. “That can sometimes make it difficult for the players to concentrate and play well.
“For Liverpool fans, they’ve never won the Premier League, it’s been 29 years. They were very close in 2013-14 when we won the league. That’s why for them as it goes on, it becomes more exciting. I hope City can keep winning games and retain the title.”
City laboured to beat West Ham 1-0 and Zabaleta claims too much is expected of his old team.
“Winning is enough for them,” said the Argentinian. “You can’t always expect City to win by three, four or five. They’ve been playing so many games and it’s very difficult, very tough.
“Sometimes people expect too much from Manchester City. The race with Liverpool is going to be tough until the end. ” ☐City have agreed a £650million, 10-year kit sponsorship deal with Puma.