1 year ago
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MANCHESTER, England (AP):
Can anyone stop Liverpool’s march towards the Premier League title?
Not Manchester City, that’s for sure.
With a 2-0 win at the home of the four-time defending champions yesterday, Liverpool produced a statement performance to move 11 points clear of Arsenal at the top of the standings.
“Special” was how Mohamed Salah described the latest victory that left the away fans chanting ”We’re gonna win the league” after the final whistle.
City manager Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, accepted that the title was now Liverpool’s to lose.
First-half goals from Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai put Arne Slot’s team on course for a win that leaves them in command of the title race after 27 games. Liverpool are now 20 points above fourth-placed City after completing a league double over Guardiola’s once all-conquering team.
While Slot tried to dampen title talk with months still remaining of the campaign, Liverpool’s advantage is undeniable.
“What we do know is that no one saw us as title contenders when we started in the beginning of the season. And I think no one in the world of football would have expected City not to be so close to the one that leads the league,” the Dutch coach said.
This was City’s eighth defeat in the league this season and 14th overall. The most games City have lost under Guardiola in any of his previous eight seasons was 12 in the 2019-20 campaign, which was the last time it failed to win the title.
Then, as now, it was Liverpool that led the way, and the Merseyside club looks likely to win a record-equalling 20th league title this year.
City, meanwhile, face a fight to secure a top-four finish and a return to next season’s Champions League. They are above fifth-placed Newcastle on goal difference and just two points ahead of Aston Villa in eighth.
Title charge
Arsenal’s surprise 1-0 loss to West Ham on Saturday had given Liverpool the opportunity to strengthen theirs grip on the title race.
And the visitors quickly took control at the Etihad through Salah’s deflected effort from a well-worked corner routine in the 14th minute. It was his 30th goal of an outstanding campaign.
He turned provider in the 37th to set up Szoboszlai, whose low shot wrong-footed City goalkeeper Ederson and rolled into the bottom corner.
City, without the injured Erling Haaland, rarely looked like getting back into the match, with Omar Marmoush’s disallowed goal for offside the closest the home team came to scoring.
City slump
It is another humbling defeat in an ever-worsening season for City.
On Wednesday, a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid sent Guardiola’s team crashing out of the Champions League. Back to domestic matters on Sunday, and City were powerless to slow down Liverpool’s title charge.
The FA Cup is now the only realistic trophy available to City this season, while Champions League qualification is the priority for a team that has dominated English football under Guardiola.
Newcastle 4-3 Nottingham
Manchester City 0-2 Liverpool
English (US) ·