Reds running wild
Free-scoring Liverpool could pose problems for City’s feeble back
LONDON: They have turned defenders to jelly for half the season – and now Liverpool’s sharp-shooters are gunning for another prize New Year scalp.
There is definitely every reason for Manchester City to be running scared too when they are the next into the lion’s den tomorrow.
For the gung-ho Kop stars have been so red-hot this term that they lead the English Premier League with 45 goals — six clear of jointsecond-best Arsenal and City. And they are coming from all angles.
They put four past Stoke on Tuesday, with four different scorers, which brought up a century of top-flight strikes in 48 games under Juergen Klopp — equalling Kenny Dalglish’s club record of quickest to 100.
They are unbeaten in 23 matches at Anfield since last January — their longest sequence without defeat at home since going 32 games, nearly seven years ago.
And they have also notched 40 points from the opening 18 league games for only the second time in the Premier League era.
No wonder City chief Pep Guardiola, making a rare personal scouting mission against Stoke, will have headed back to Manchester stroking his chin even more than usual. It is the fact the goals have come from so many different sources which will have left the City boss wondering just how to stem the tide. Especially with his dodgy backline. The Reds have had no less than 13 different scorers already if you include own goals. In the league Sadio Mane leads the way with eight goals but Adam Lallana has seven, Roberto Firmino six, Philippe Coutinho and James Milner five. Divock Origi has four, Emre Can three and England ace Daniel Sturridge joined the party on Tuesday getting off the mark in the Premier League although he boasts four Cup goals to his name already.
Compare those figures with Chelsea. Pedro is their third-highest scorer (after Diego Costa and Eden Hazard) and he has just four.
It is the same story at City, where Kelechi Iheanacho and Nolito are joint-third (behind Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling) also with four.
So should City be trembling at the knees at being next in line?