City’s title if they win at Anfield

IT’S perfectly simple: If Manchester City win at Anfield tomorrow, the title race is over.

Pep Guardiola has not just built another breathtaking team at City, he’s built a machine.

And they are absolutely flying without Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero.

In the last nine matches, City have taken 27 points with an aggregate score of 21-1.

Even at £62million, central defender Ruben Dias is the signing of the season.

When he competes to win a header, Rodri drops into the space next to John Stones (right) to keep the back door shut – a job Fernandinho used to do so well.

That axis of Dias (below), Stones and Rodri in front of goalkeeper Ederson is why City have become such a formidable defensive unit.

Of course, if Liverpool stop City’s 13-match winning streak in its tracks, it’s game on again in the title race.

But even the champions are finding the going heavy at home now after following a 68-match unbeaten run at Anfield with successive home defeats to Burnley and on Wednesday night, Brighton. If they had 54,000 fans to roar them on tomorrow, with the Kop in full voice and the decibel count going through the roof, I would give Liverpool every chance.

They are unbeaten in 17 Premier League meetings with City at Anfield, and in an atmosphere of fever pitch you would back them to extend that run.

But the absence of crowds has made away teams fearless.

If City add another away win to their pile, nobody is going

to catch them.