Premier League top two aiming to make history
Liverpool's quest for a quadruple and Manchester City's bid to match Manchester United's historic treble of 1999 are on a collision course over the next two weeks.
Premier League leaders City will host a potential title decider against second-placed
Liverpool on Sunday (Apr 10)
before the fierce rivals clash again in the FA Cup semi-final
at Wembley on Apr 16. However, the impact of the
Champions League quarterfinals could have a big impact on who claims the domestic trophies.
Liverpool on paper have the better draw in the last eight
as they take on Benfica, while
City face a gruelling two legs against Spanish champions Atletico Madrid.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp declared the Premier League as “the most important” prize up for grabs for his team, who
have already lifted the League
Cup this season.
But that cannot be the case for City as they aim to end the club’s long wait for Champions
League glory.
“The next Premier League
game we will play against Liverpool. We know they are going to win almost all the games – hopefully not the next one – but we will try to do the same,” Guardiola said after City beat Burnley last Saturday to reestablish their one-point lead over Liverpool.
Liverpool are happy just to be in this position after finding themselves 14 points adrift of City in January.
A 10-game winning run has reeled in the English champions, setting up another
titanic fight between the sides,
reminiscent of their recordbreaking battle in 2018/19.
City emerged winners on that occasion by a single point
despite Liverpool amassing 97 points, the fourth-highest points tally in English topflight history for a 38-game season.
The other two were also registered during an era marked by the excellence of Guardiola and Klopp’s sides.
City hold the record for the 100 points they recorded in 2017/18, while Liverpool responded in 2019/20 to end their 30-year wait to win the league with 99 points.
“In the last few years we’ve
pushed each other on insane levels,” added Klopp.
This year, history will be marked in the number of trophies won.
United’s feat of winning the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup is the only time that particular treble has been won by an English side.
“The next Premier League
game obviously is a big one, we do not hide from that. It’s all good," said Klopp.
“We are not favourite in one of the competitions we are in, but who cares? We will
give it a try.”
With City and Liverpool on different sides of the Cham
pions League draw, there is also the possibility for them to meet again in the final in Paris on May 28.