Liverpool urged to make most of ‘slight edge’ in title race

LIVERPOOL have been told they could take advantage of Manchester City in the Premier League title race which could give them the edge over their rivals.

The two titans are separated by just one point in the table and any slip-up could be costly.

Liverpool have been told to utilise their greater firepower in the title race to clinch them the Premier League trophy this season.

That is the verdict from Jamie Carragher, who believes that Manchester CIty’s lack of a frontman might cost them.

There is just one point between the two teams at the top of the table with five games to go in what is one of the tensest battles in years. Both clubs are in their peaks with Klopp and Pep Guardiola at the helm.

Both sides would be worthy winners but they have gone about it in different ways. While Liverpool have a ferocious attack, City delicate play has bamboozled nearly all in their wake.

The Reds have scored 85 times in the Premier League with Mohamed Salah netting 23 of them while at the Etihad, the scorers are more balanced with 80 in total and Kevin de Bruyne their top scorer on 11. But Carragher believes that gives his former club the advantage.

“You’re talking about two brilliant teams and you can’t really split them,” he told Sky Sports.

“I think there will be points dropped, I can see both of them dropping points, I do believe that.

“But you look at the attacking stats, this is where Liverpool have the slight edge.

“Goals scored, Liverpool 85 to Man City 80. Talk about not having a striker, the goals are still absolutely phenomenal for Man City.

“The xG per game shows that, yes, Liverpool have the edge. But you look at top goalscorers, De Bruyne on 11 and Salah on 23 is a big difference.

“Then you look at where the goals are, they’re spread across the team in Man City, but the numbers show Liverpool have the big advantage in attack.

“If Man City are to drop points, it would be down to the fact they could have games where they fail to score.

“Man City have failed to score in four games this season – Liverpool only one – and they have only scored once in seven games too, so that’s 11 games where they have scored one goal or zero goals.

“So, you think, if Man City are going to drop points, it must be from a 0-0, there’s been evidence of that this season in games that we’ve seen.”

While City have often dropped points in lowscoring games, Liverpool slip-ups have often been more chaotic affairs.

“We should add that lot of those games where Liverpool dropped points were early on in the season and there has been a change, defensively, in the second half of the season,” said Carragher.

“But, if Liverpool drop points, you feel like it wouldn’t be a 0-0, it would be a 2-2.”

Former striker Robbie Keane, Carragher’s guest on Monday Night Football, said: “It’s incredible, when you look at the whole season, how well Man City have done without having an out-and-out striker.

“If they had a young Sergio Aguero, from four or five years ago, I think the League would be over by now.

“The football they play is incredible to watch. They get bodies in the box and they do score a lot of goals.

“But these are the times when you need a No. 9, a fox in the box. I think that’s where they could slip up, especially in tight games.” – Express Newspapers/Agencies