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Arsenal, Man City double header tests Liverpool’s new tag as title
favourites
LIVERPOOL, Dec 28, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Halfway towards ending a 29-year wait
to win the Premier League, the next seven days will test Liverpool’s title
credentials to the fullest, starting with Arsenal’s visit to Anfield on
Saturday.
For a long time a new year visit to Manchester City on January 3 had the
makings of a title decider, but Liverpool now have margin for error with a
six-point lead at the top of the table.
Tottenham are Liverpool’s closest challengers with City slipping down to
third and seven points adrift after three defeats in their last four league
games.
That is more than the six points Liverpool have dropped all season so far
as Jurgen Klopp’s men remain unbeaten.
“What we said as well is that we want to create our own history. We are the
first Liverpool team in the Premier League to be unbeaten in 19 matches — a
little history and a nice step,” said Klopp after a 4-0 thrashing of
Newcastle on Boxing Day.
Much more significant history awaits, particularly if Liverpool are still
unbeaten come the end of a frantic festive period.
“We have to win our games, we have to be focused, we need to be really in
the mood with having tunnel vision,” added Klopp. “That’s really important
and then we will see where it leads us.”
Arsenal are one of three sides to have held the league leaders in a 1-1
draw in November and contain the attacking potential in the Premier League’s
top-scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette to trouble a
Liverpool side that has conceded just seven goals this season.
“There are two tough games now: Arsenal and Man City. We need to keep this
momentum,” said defender Dejan Lovren.
“We have big character in the squad. If you want to be at the top, you need
to have the winning mentality and the calmness.”
– Don’t forget ‘how good we are’ –
City will he hoping for Liverpool to finally cede some ground unless the
champions will find themselves 10 points off the top when they kick off at a
revitalised Southampton under Ralph Hasenhuettl on Sunday.
MORE/SSS/1637 hrs
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“The less important issue is Liverpool, we have to think about
Southampton,” insisted Pep Guardiola after defeat at Leicester.
“I don’t forget who we are, how good a team we are, how exceptional these
lads I have in the locker room are.
“The reality is we have lost three in four games and the last two. If you
want to be real contenders you have to win again. If you don’t, it will not
be possible.”
However, Guardiola did send a warning to Liverpool that is much harder to
cope with the tag of title favourites as City did last season and until their
recent slump this campaign.
“From January, February last season people said, ‘The Premier League is
over’. To live with that is not easy,” added the Catalan.
Tottenham have largely managed to escape the focus of attention as title
contenders, but can no longer be ignored after smashing 11 goals in their
last two games to thrash Everton 6-2 and Bournemouth 5-0.
“The season is fantastic where from the beginning, no one believed much in
us,” said Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, whose side host Wolves on Saturday.
“We need to prepare not only physically but also our minds to be strong
because it’s going to be tough to compete in the second half of the season.”
Manchester United have a great chance to continue their revival under Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer when a Bournemouth side that have lost eight of their last
10 games visit Old Trafford.
Fresh from scoring eight goals in victories over Cardiff and Huddersfield,
United’s attacking options could be further boosted by the returns of Alexis
Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial from injury and illness.
Fixtures (1500 GMT unless stated)
Saturday:
Brighton v Everton, Fulham v Huddersfield, Leicester v Cardiff, Tottenham v
Wolves, Liverpool v Arsenal (1730)
Sunday:
Crystal Palace v Chelsea (1200), Southampton v Manchester City, Burnley v
West Ham (both 1415), Manchester United v Bournemouth (1630)
BSS/AFP/SSS/1638 hrs