The Premier League is set for flat-out race to the finish

The Premier League title race looks set to go right to the wire as Manchester City and Liverpool’s relentless pace continued unabated this weekend.

Jurgen Klopp’s side landed the first blow on Saturday lunchtime, with Naby Keita’s early strike at St James’ Park enough for victory from what looked a tricky away trip to in-form Newcastle. The three points gained saw the Reds once again return to the top of the table before City’s trip to Leeds in the evening.

Pep Guardiola’s men had to respond and respond they did, with goals from Rodri, Nathan Ake, Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho eventually saw them ease to victory at Elland Road. The defending champions recaptured their place at the summit by a single point ahead of a packed few days of fixtures.

Liverpool are next up, taking on Tottenham at Anfield on Saturday before City travel to Newcastle on Sunday afternoon. Klopp’s men will then take on Aston Villa on Tuesday evening before City head to Wolves on Wednesday.

It is all building towards a scenario where even a solitary slip-up looks like being fatal for either team.

They have been here before of course – the 2018/19 season saw City forced to win their final 14 league games in a row to see off Liverpool by a point.

That kind of faultless run may well be needed by City again with the Reds’ last dropped points – aside from last month’s draw with City themselves – coming way back in the first game of January at Chelsea. They have won 12 of their 13 games since. City, by contrast, a comparatively paltry 10.

A title run-in of old often saw ebbs and flows and twists and turns as teams faltered and capitalised and faltered again. Instead, with the two best teams in Europe involved, this one might end up being a flat-out race to the finish.

Yours,

Ben Burrows

Sports Editor