Liverpool top of Premier League at Christmas
Saturday 22 December 2018 11:29, UK
Liverpool and Manchester City are set for a thrilling title race in 2019, says Jamie Carragher.
The Reds secured top spot in the Premier League at Christmas and opened up a four-point lead over City with a 2-0 win at Wolves on Friday night.
Manchester City could close the gap back to one point if they beat Crystal Palace on Saturday and Sky Sports pundit Carragher expects those two sides to push each other all the way in the second half of the season.
"At the end of the season, whichever side goes on to win the title, the one who comes second is going to have an unbelievable points tally that, almost any other season would win the league," said Carragher. "You'll probably feel for whoever misses out, whether that's City or Liverpool.
"City, in the last 18 months, have just gone away from everyone. There was no real challenge last season. It felt like the season was over at this stage last season.
The fact Liverpool are with them now it maybe asks questions of this Man City side that we haven't seen before.
"The fact Liverpool are with them now it maybe asks questions of this Man City side that we haven't seen before.
"I'm sure they'll answer them - I'm not questioning them in that way. But I think it's nice we have someone chasing this City side.
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"This City side is a special side, and I think over the next four or five years we will be speaking about a special team in this Premier League era. But could a side win the league three or four years on the bounce?
"The great Manchester United sides found that difficult. There's always someone who wins the league out of nowhere. Could this be the season when someone else actually wins it, and could it be Liverpool?"
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville believes Liverpool have the credentials to do just that.
Neville says Liverpool's transition from a thrilling, attacking force into a more considered, controlled side this season has boosted their chances of lasting the distance in the race for Premier League honours.
"Liverpool showed all the hallmarks of a title-winning team," he said. "Good in defence, don't have to be at their best to win, good going forward, they can control games now…
"I always thought watching Liverpool 18 months ago was manic - in a good way. Everyone enjoyed watching Liverpool games, in the sense the game was always fast, it was always electric but then it always seemed to die off a little bit after 60 minutes when the energy went.
"This is a far more controlled unit. And it's one that seems to have the composure, seems to have the belief and they'll be privately very happy and they'll be confident they can go all the way with City."
