i have been on a week new year holiday at my home town from the first day of the year, due to many activities one must attend to coupled with a lot of visitations, I was unable to follow the premier league. So, just coming back to town, I decided to check up the premier league table and I was surprise not much.
Liverpool lost 2-1 to their title rival Manchester City in a match that might have determined how the title shape race will be shaped in Liverpool favour. Manchester City right from the beginning of the season was the clear favorite to lift the premier league title for the second time under head coach Pep Guardiola. All talks and question on the lips of fans and pundit was that if they was any club that could stop Guardiola men not to lift again.
But Manchester City poor run of form in December that saw them drop 9 points in three matches; their 3 lost in the month took them to the third spot on the league with Tottenham taking the second spot. Pep needed fine solution to his team dilemma in their match against the table toppers:
Liverpool on the order hand has been on unbeaten run since the start of the league season and with the way Klopp men were playing, it seems they were going to be invincible with the number of goals they blow teams away at home and away. After dismissing Arsenal in a humiliation 5-1 win at Anfield, they were tension as to the team that will match up against Liverpool considering Manchester City current unstable form.
The new year match between Liverpool and Manchester city was really a litmus test that determined how strong Liverpool’s hands will be on the trophy.
Many pundit and sport writer expressed their view about the match with many still given in to Liverpool to get a point at Etihad.
Both teams and coaches knew what was at stake for their aspiration to with the trophy. Ti Liverpool it was for the club to keep absorbing the pressure while maintaining their number one spot on the league and to Manchester city, it was to see how Liverpool can be stopped or at least delay their pace.
The game started pretty well according to analysis but Manchester City were burning with the desire to get best result of the match from all indication and playing in front their home fans needed to give them what to cheer with. Finally, they got the score line in their favour and cut the gab between the first and second place to 4 points only.
One more slip from Liverpool will see them trailed by a point if Manchester City could put their game to the sword thereby bring the premier league title in better contention and Liverpool gasping for breath at the top of the league.
Tottenham are pushing as well to bring themselves into the title race as the dark horse but their inability to see off little teams is a threat to this.
The way Liverpool reacts in their next match is critical to their title race. We have seen teams bounce back after a shocking defeat likewise have we seen teams struggling after such defeat. It is very necessary that Liverpool players should keep their mental strength unshaken if they must continue with their impressive form. Desperation to win matches from now onward can be used as a frustrating tool by opponent to get into the Liverpool players head, thereby losing concentration at the end of the day. lets keep our fingers crossed as the league progresses.
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