Premier League
Manchester City’s Evisceration Of The Competition In 2019 Has Liverpool Shook
New Year, New City
Most of us have given up on our new year’s resolutions by mid-February. Most of us don’t have Pep Guardiola in our ears constantly demanding perfection. Perhaps that is the difference, as Manchester City have been playing like a team possessed in 2019. We all know someone who claims soccer to be boring due to a lack of goals. Simply have them watch a few City games and they’ll quickly change their tune. Guardiola’s men make scoring goals look so easy, neutrals may even prefer they do it less.
Manchester City have scored 42 (!) goals in 2019. Let that sink in for a second. For perspective, Liverpool, the side they have been chasing, have only mustered 12. Manchester United, who have been scoring hot since replacing Mourinho, tallied a mere 16. In fact, City have scored more than twice as many goals as any Premier League team in 2019. Spurs and Wolves round out the podium with 20 and 17 respectively. The gap is startling. Rivals waiting for City to fall back to earth shouldn’t hold their breath. League Two side Newport and Bundesliga strugglers Schalke are City’s next two fixtures. It would be a brave soul who bets the under in those matches.
There are no Easy Games in the Prem…Right?
It has long been said that the Premier League is the best league in the world. Not only because of the class at the top, but mainly due to the quality of the league’s bottom half. The widespread belief that there are no easy games in the Prem has rang true for years. Guardiola has never cared too much for convention. The Spaniard caused people to question the longstanding conviction last season when City plundered 100 points from the Premier League. Neither of their losses came to a team outside the top-three during that that transcendent campaign.
When City lost consecutive games to Crystal Palace and Leicester in December, many figured the law of averages was catching up to them. Guardiola was desperate for those losses to be outliers, rather than a return to the normalcy of England’s top teams often struggling against mid-table sides. The manager was clearly able to light a fire under his side, as their performances have reached new heights.
The Citizens rampant 2019 form has manifested itself in some unbelievable ways. For starters, the team is scoring nearly four goals per game. They have also won matches 7-0, 9-0 and 6-0. Against Newcastle and Arsenal, they became the first team to score inside the first minute in consecutive Premier League matches. Sergio Aguero has scored 8 goals in the new year, more than nine other Premier League teams. The Argentine has launched himself to the top of the Golden Boot race, scoring two hat-tricks in the process. His 11 hat-tricks are now tied for the most in Premier League history.
Liverpool Struggling to Cope with the Pressure
It’s natural to feel sympathy for Liverpool at this stage. Attempting to win their first league title in 29 years has enough inherent pressure already. The pressure of completing this task with a juggernaut dismantling teams at a historic rate breathing down their neck seems excessive. Liverpool have attempted to ignore the exploits of their competition. But as City continue to rain down hammer blows to their competitors, Liverpool are beginning to crack.
Fittingly, City’s historic 2019 began with a 2-1 victory over Liverpool. The match ended Liverpool’s undefeated season and trimmed their lead to 4 points, setting up a grandstand finale to the season. Initially, Liverpool were able to steady the ship with consecutive league wins. Unfortunately, their legs finally appear to be wobbling. Each successive astonishing result from City serves as a shot over the Liverpool bow. The Reds now appear to be struggling to contain a series of leaks in a damn that seems destined to break.
Counterintuitively, it was a chink in City’s armor that exposed the stress Liverpool are experiencing. Two weeks ago the Mancunians shockingly lost 2-1 at Newcastle. After scoring 24 seconds into the match, City showed they are human and not machines and became complacent. Instead of capitalizing on City’s loss and reinstating their seven point lead with a win, Liverpool buckled. The Reds drew consecutive matches to mid-table sides and now sit level on points with City.
Can Liverpool Prevent the Inevitable?
The stress is visible on the face of the Liverpool manager, the normally jovial Jürgen Klopp. His side’s free-flowing performances earlier in the year have digressed into laborious affairs. Concurrently, the German has become increasingly short-tempered with reporters and critical of referees. Liverpool have the luxury of a game in hand compared to their rivals. However, that comfort is fleeting with that match represented by a daunting trip to Old Trafford. If Liverpool cannot manage at least a draw at red-hot United, City will again have the league lead, a lead they are unlikely to relinquish.
Odds makers have installed City as title favorites, despite Liverpool’s game in hand. While unlikely, Liverpool holding off city isn’t impossible. Their best chance involves a return to early-season form with City becoming distracted by a deep Champions League run. If Liverpool manage to overcome the crippling pressure of their title drought combined with the fear instilled in them by the goliath on their tail, it will require one of the greatest manifestations of the human spirit ever seen in sports. Guardiola and City are doing their best to ensure they aren’t producing any commemorative DVDs in Liverpool this year.
Photo credit to PJB PRO via Flickr
