It’s more than a game for Liverpool
TITLE TILT The Reds take on Manchester City in a top of the table clash as they mark the 25th anniversary of Hillsborough disaster
LONDON: Carried by a wave of raw emotion, leaders Liverpool will look to land a potentially decisive blow in the Premier League title race when they host Manchester City on Sunday.
Tributes to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster will frame the encounter and with Liverpool on course for a first title since 1990, Anfield is likely to be a cauldron of fervour and belief.
While no amount of on-pitch success will ever provide adequate consolation, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says that his side’s title bid is inspired by memories of the Hillsborough dead.
Last Sunday’s 2-1 win over West Ham, in which Steven Gerrard scored two penalties, was Liverpool’s ninth in a row and moved them to 74 points from 33 games. Five wins from their last five games will see them land a first top-flight crown since 1990.
However, Rodgers has insisted this weekend’s clash is not necessarily crucial in deciding the destination of the trophy, calling on his players to relish the run-in.
“It’s a significant game,” he said. “It’s two teams who have done extremely well this season but still have a lot of work to do after it.”
They are two points ahead of sChelsea who also have still to visit Anfield in the run-in. City are third in the league two points behind Chelsea and four adrift of Liverpool but have two games in hand. Liverpool’s extraordinary run has been built on the Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge goal machine. Suarez has 29 Premier League goals while Sturridge has 20.
WAVE OF EMOTION
Liverpool will wear special commemorative shirts against City and for their remaining matches.
The rawness of the occasion leaves City in an uncomfortable position, and manager Manuel Pellegrini has encouraged his players to approach the game with clear heads.
“It will be a very emotional day, but the team that has the cold mind will win the game,” he said. “It is easy in these big games to have the motivation, but it is very important to manage the anxiety.”