Alan Shearer has tipped Liverpool to “overpower” Manchester City in their huge Premier League title clash this weekend and can only see a win for Arne Slot’s men.
Pep Guardiola’s men travel to Anfield on Sunday knowing another defeat would extend Liverpool’s lead at the top to 11 points and all but end their title defence.
City are in woeful form and have failed to win a game in six matches stretching back to late October. A 4-0 home loss to Tottenham last week has sent the team into a crisis and followed that result with a 3-3 draw at home to Feyenoord after going 3-0 up.
Liverpool are being heavily backed to add to City’s woes and prolong their torrid spell and Match of the Day pundit Shearer believes the Reds will outclass their struggling rivals.
Speaking to Betfair, he said: “Unless City tighten up and strengthen up in midfield, Liverpool could overpower them there. There are so many great battles to look forward to. Whoever Pep decides to play at left-back has a huge challenge on hand also.
“With the form that Man City are in, Liverpool at Anfield and the forward options they have, I can’t see anything other than a Liverpool victory.”
Shearer is not the only pundit to weigh in on the game after Jamie Carragher predicted that a loss for City this weekend could spell the end of their title race.
“With some hesitation, I will make a prediction which – because of the Guardiola factor – may come back to haunt me,” he said in hisDaily Telegraph column. If City lose toLiverpool, their title defence is over beforeChristmas.
“An 11-point gap would be too much. That is not necessarily because Liverpool would stretch away to win the Premier League. Arsenal and Chelsea have a real chance this season, too.”
However, former City manager Stuart Pearce insisted the club’s critics should “write them off at their own peril” and said he wouldn’t be surprised if Guardiola still won the league.
“They’re suffering at the moment but if you write City off, you do it at your own peril,” he said. “They’re that good. Their manager isworld-class and we talk about world class at the drop of a hat but he’s maybe the best manager that’s ever lived.
“He’s that good at what he does and if he’s still at the helm driving City on, if they win thePremier Leagueor the Champions League this year it wouldn’t surprise me.”