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The second half of the season 2018/19 has already commenced and the Premier League has done what it always does best - entertain its viewers to the best of its abilities.
A glance at the league table last month would have given you the feeling that Liverpool were well on course to winning their first ever Premier League title. A month fast forward, things do not seem to be the same.
Manchester City have caught up with their rivals and the race for the title now seems set to go down the wire. That being said, on the basis of a little background research, let's have a look at which of the two teams has the best shot at winning the title.
#1 Liverpool
Liverpool have impressed with their consistent performances throughout this season in the Premier League. However, a little dip in form in the last two games against Leicester City and West Ham has seen them lose a five-point advantage over Manchester City. The Merseysiders are now only three points ahead of the Cityzens and another loss or draw could see them lose their grip at the top of the table.
From total 25 games played, Jurgen Klopp's men have won 19, drawn 5 and lost 1, amassing a tally of 62 points. Mohammed Salah is topping the goalscoring charts, with 16 goals and 7 assists to his name already. From the top 6, the Merseysiders still have to face Manchester United away from home, and Chelsea and Tottenham at home. The Reds face Bournemouth this Saturday at Anfield.
The fixture against Manchester United, in particular, will be a tricky test, as it comes just 4 days after their first leg of the round of 16 face-off against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. However, the same can also be said for the Red Devils, who will be hosting French giants Paris Saint-Germain in the UCL before locking horns with Liverpool.
The Manchester United fixture will be crucial for Jurgen Klopp and co. as it could decide whether or not they will maintain their stranglehold at the top of the table. Again, Liverpool's next 2 fixtures will be rather tricky, as they face Watford(H) and Everton(A), both of whom are in the top 10 in the EPL.
The remaining fixtures in order are: Burnley(H), Fulham(A), Tottenham(H), Southampton(A), Chelsea(H), Cardiff(A), Huddersfield(H), Newcastle(A) and Wolverhampton(H).
Apart from Chelsea and Tottenham, Liverpool will also have to be wary of Nuno Espirito Santo's Wolverhampton, who have been the best team outside the Top 6 in the League. In case the title does go down to the wire until the last day of the Premier League, facing Wolverhampton Wanderers will be a tedious task for Liverpool. After all, Wolves showed them the exit door in the FA Cup third round this season, and Jurgen Klopp won't dare take them lightly.
#2 Manchester City
Pep Guardiola, in his recent comments, has already let the footballing fraternity known that he is predicting the title race to go down to the wire until the last two games at the least. The Cityzens have 19 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses, contributing to a tally of 59 points from 25 games. Sergio Aguero is the club's top scorer, and third in the League's goalscoring charts, with 14 goals and 6 assists to his credit.
Manchester City have gained momentum in following their emphatic 3-1 win over Arsenal last weekend, and will be looking to build on that win as they travel to Everton later today. The Citizens, apart from aiming to topple Liverpool, also have to take care of maintaining a safe distance from Tottenham, who are third and just two points behind them.
The month of February will be more hectic for Guardiola and co. in contrast to Liverpool, as they have to play a FA Cup round and the EFL Cup final - both of which could have side-effects on their league campaign.
After facing travelling to Schalke in the UCL, City will once again travel to Chelsea in the Premier League. The exertion could cause much trouble and it all depends on Guardiola's ability to rotate his squad and keep his players rested in time for crucial games.
Following the clash against Chelsea, here are the remaining fixtures for Manchester City in the league: West Ham(H), Bournemouth(A), Watford(H), Manchester United(A), Fulham(A), Cardiff(H), Crystal Palace(A), Tottenham(H), Burnley(A), Leicester(H), Brighton(A).
City still have to face Man United away and Tottenham at home, two games that could make or break their race for the Premier League title. Leicester City could also prove to be a hurdle, if the race goes down to the last day, knowing that the Cityzens suffered a 2-1 loss in the reverse fixture that took place in the Christmas week.
Predictions
Manchester City have a comparatively arduous task at aiming for the Premier League title, knowing that they are playing in four competitions and are still in contention for an unprecedented quadruple. Liverpool, on the other hand, can concentrate solely on the Premier League since they are already out of the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
Yet, in no way does that mean Man City will loosen their grip in the Premier League title race, even though they also have to keep Tottenham at bay in the third position. Pep Guardiola's team are scoring a bucket load of goals and should they keep the form, Jurgen Klopp could as well miss out on the title.
Also, Manchester City have the valuable experience of winning a nip and tuck title race, having done so when they clinched their first Premier League title in season 2011-12. That experience is bound to come in handy as the competition progresses.
Considering all these factors, their respective fixture lists, and the fact that Manchester City are only 3 points behind Liverpool, Pep Guardiola could well guide his club to their fourth league title in this decade.
