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It is that time of the year when everyone has a hard look at the remaining fixtures list before the points table. Nine important matches remain in the English Premier League. Come May, either of these teams will be lifting the trophy. Tottenham Hotspur lost out of contention after their recent defeats to Burnley and Chelsea. Nine points are too much a gap to catch up with nine matches remaining. Finally, it's a two horse race as so many pundits had rightly predicted at the beginning of the season.
Liverpool and Manchester City are locked together in close quarters. A single point keeps them apart after 29 matches. Liverpool was cruising in January towards an unprecedented 19th league title after a gap of 28 years. But four draws - against Leicester City, West Ham United, Manchester United and Everton has pegged them back. Manchester City was able to capitalize on this with their astonishing recent form and take a one-point lead over the Mersey side team.
Nine matches are all that is left to decide the trophy. Both the teams have to face two top 6 oppositions each. But will it go down to the wire? What can we expect from the run-in? Let's take a look
Fixture list of Manchester City
- Mar 09 - Watford (H)
- Mar 30 - Fulham (A)
- April 06 - Cardiff (H)
- April 14 - Crystal Palace (A)
- April 20 -Tottenham (H)
- April 24 - Manchester United (A)
- April 28 - Burnley (A)
- May 04 - Leicester (H)
- May 12 - Brighton (A)
Fixture list of Liverpool
- Mar 10 - Burnley (H)
- Mar 17 - Fulham (A)
- Mar 31 - Tottenham (H)
- April 05 - Southampton (A)
- April 14 - Chelsea (H)
- April 21 - Cardiff (A)
- April 26 - Huddersfield (H)
- May 04 - Newcastle (A)
- May 12 - Wolves (H)
Matchday 30
Both Manchester City and Liverpool have home matches against Watford and Burnley respectively. I expect both of them to win easily with both teams trying to increase their goal difference.
Watford is a tricky opposition. They tend to not know when they are beaten. But I expect City to come out tops as they did when they met last time with the Manchester club winning 2-1.
When Liverpool and Burnley met the last time around, the Red side won comprehensively 1-3. I expect them to run riot over this Burnley side.
Matchday 31
Liverpool will be facing a lacklustre Fulham team and I expect them to win convincingly. This Fulham side has conceded goals for fun so far, which ended with Ranieri being sacked. Can the team under new management stage a comeback? Not with this defence.
Liverpool ended up winning two goals to nil when they met at Anfield in November.
Manchester City won't be playing as they will be busy with their FA cup fixture.
Matchday 32
Crucial week for Liverpool. They will be up against a promising Tottenham side and I don't expect them to win it. Dele Alli would be fit and raring to go for the Spurs and I expect them to come off with a win or a draw at the bare minimum. The Spurs side would be seeking revenge for their loss in September.
Manchester City will be against Fulham and will be trying to score as much as possible. I expect them to score more goals than they did last time (3-0).
Matchday 33
Manchester City will be at home against Cardiff and they will be expected to stroll through to victory like they did last time. They scored 5 goals in September and I expect them to aim for it this time around too.
Liverpool, on the other hand, will be against a dogged Southampton side at their home. Virgil Van Dijk will be expected to motivate the team towards a victory against his former side. It won't be an easy match like the last time when Liverpool won convincingly with three goals to nil. Southampton has managed to hit a purple patch in recent times with James Ward-Prowse in hot goalscoring form.
Matchday 34
Crucial week for both teams. Liverpool play Chelsea while Crystal Palace host Manchester City. I expect Liverpool's midfield to overpower Sarri's team. Jorginho will be silenced by the industrious Liverpool midfield trio. It had ended in a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge earlier this season. Liverpool will have to keep a close eye on the duo of Higuain and Hazard.
Manchester City will be feeling the heat against the Crystal Palace. They will be seeking revenge for their 0-3 loss in December. Somehow, I expect Zaha and co, to give the finishing blow to the champions.
Matchday 35
Liverpool will be against Cardiff City away, and they will run riot against the toothless Cardiff side. They had scored 4 goals the last time at Anfield and I wouldn't surprised if they better it this time around.
Manchester City will be having a tough week with two tough matches against Spurs at home and Manchester United away. I expect them to lose points. Both the teams will be seeking revenge against The Citizens. Guardiola's side had beaten Mourinho's side convincingly at Etihad. I expect the resurgent Ole's team to either win or draw against the City team.
The Spurs match will be tough to predict. I would hope Pochettino to conjure something special for this match from his team.
Matchday 36
Huddersfield will be torn apart by the Liverpool side. At Anfield, the home side had managed to score 3 goals against Huddersfield. Klopp would be licking his lips at the prospect of these matches as a chance for them to catch up with City in terms of goal difference.
Whereas, Manchester City face Burnley away from home. Usually, Burnley at home is a headache for the visiting teams. But this City team loves to play Burnley as evident from their 5-0 win against them earlier this season.
Matchday 37
If they remain neck to neck, this will be another important week. You never know what to expect from this Leicester side. They come roaring at you or they don't turn up at all. Leicester had managed to defeat the blue side from Manchester the last time they met in December. I expect them to give a fight. A draw may be on the cards.
Newcastle away is always a difficult proposition. Benitez's tactics make it tough for the teams to break them down, but the Liverpool's front trio is expected to conjure up magic to give the much-needed win as they did last time around. I expect this week to be the decider for the trophy.
Matchday 38
Manchester City face Brighton away from home and Liverpool faces Wolves at home. The Cityzens will find it easy against this Brighton side. It was a surprise when they had won against Brighton with just two goals the last time around.
Wolves have been magnificent this season, and I expect Klopp to vary of this side. The wounds of the FA cup exit will be fresh on their minds. I predict Liverpool to come off with a late victory.
Predicted Points
Liverpool FC: 90 - 93
Manchester City: 88 - 90
Both managers are expected to play a crucial role in the remaining months. Guardiola is a master of winning trophies. He knows his team's strength and backs them to finish the job. His only area of concern would be the increasing injury list -Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, John Stones are all out.
You get the feeling that Jurgen Klopp is feeling the heat at the moment. His substitutions in the Everton match clearly shows that he is under tremendous pressure. He knew he couldn't afford to lose the match and sent out Lallana and Milner instead of attacking options like Shaqiri or Sturridge.
It is Liverpool's title to lose. They have the easier run-in and if they can hold their nerve and not slip up(Sorry Gerrard!), they will be lifting the trophy in May.
Can Crystal Palace, who demolished their chances of the trophy a few years back, gift them the trophy? All we can do is to wait and see this exciting run-in.
