MANCHESTER, England — Can anyone hinder Liverpool’s impressive run towards clinching the Premier League title? One thing is certain: Manchester City cannot.
On Sunday, Liverpool delivered a powerful message with a 2-0 victory at the home grounds of the four-time defending champions, putting them 11 points clear of Arsenal at the top of the league table.
Mohamed Salah described the victory as “special,” as jubilant away fans celebrated by chanting “We’re gonna win the league” after the match concluded. In stark contrast, City manager Pep Guardiola admitted that the title is now Liverpool’s to lose.
Goals from Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai in the first half set Liverpool on the path to victory under Arne Slot’s leadership. This win solidified their dominance in the title race, particularly after 27 games this season. Liverpool is now 20 points ahead of City, situated in fourth place, having completed a rare league double over Guardiola’s previously dominant squad.
While Slot attempted to downplay discussions surrounding the title with many matches still to be played, it is hard to overlook Liverpool’s significant lead. “At the start of the season, no one saw us as title contenders. And I think nobody expected City to be this far from the league leaders,” Slot noted.
This marks City’s eighth loss in the league this season, contributing to a total of 14 defeats in all competitions. Previously, under Guardiola, the most losses the team faced in a single season was 12, which occurred in the 2019-20 season—the last time they failed to clinch the title. At that time too, Liverpool was at the top, and now they are poised to equal their record with a potential 20th league title.
City, on the other hand, finds itself in a struggle to secure a top-four position to ensure next year’s return to the Champions League. They currently lead fifth-placed Newcastle solely on goal difference and are just two points ahead of Aston Villa in eighth.
Liverpool benefitted from Arsenal’s unexpected 1-0 defeat to West Ham on Saturday, creating an opportunity to further entrench their hold on the title race.
The visitors quickly seized control at the Etihad, with Salah finding the back of the net following a clever corner routine just 14 minutes into the match—a fitting milestone, marking his 30th goal of a remarkable campaign. In the 37th minute, he assisted Szoboszlai, whose shot deflected off City goalkeeper Ederson to secure a second goal that sealed the outcome.
City struggled to mount a response, particularly without the injured Erling Haaland. The closest they came to scoring was when Omar Marmoush had a goal disallowed for offside. Liverpool supporters confidently chanted, “Now you’re gonna believe us.” Slot responded, “The fans can sing whatever they want. We know how much effort we need to put in to secure victories.”
This loss further exacerbates a disappointing season for City. Following a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid, which resulted in their exit from the Champions League, the focus turns back to domestic challenges as Liverpool continues to surge forward in the title race.
The FA Cup now represents City’s most realistic chance of silverware this season, with passion for a returning Champions League remaining a key priority for a team that has historically excelled under Guardiola. “If we miss out, it’s simply because we weren’t good enough, not due to a lack of ambition or effort,” Guardiola stated. “It’s extremely tight with several strong teams like Nottingham, Newcastle, and Aston Villa.”
City started this season on the back of an unprecedented four consecutive English league titles and has won six of the previous seven under Guardiola. Overall, he has brought home 15 major trophies during his time at the club, including the Champions League as part of a treble in 2023.
In another thrilling encounter, Newcastle soared to a 4-3 victory against Nottingham Forest, despite a late effort from the visitors that created a tense conclusion. A frenzy of goals in the first half—two of which came from Alexander Isak—propelled Newcastle to a commanding 4-1 lead by halftime.
While Forest took an early lead thanks to Callum Hudson-Odoi’s sixth-minute goal, Newcastle retaliated fiercely, with Lewis Miley leveling the score in the 23rd minute. Jacob Murphy then put Newcastle ahead two minutes later, and Isak extended the lead with a penalty followed by another goal just a minute after. This elevates his season tally to 21 goals, tying him for second place in the league scoring charts alongside Haaland. Only Salah has scored more, netting 24 times.
Despite the loss being Forest’s third in their last four league games, they had mounted a comeback attempt that saw Nikola Milenkovic score in the 63rd minute, while Ryan Yates added another in the 90th to narrow the score to 4-3.
Next up for Newcastle is the challenge of securing a top-four finish and improved chances for Champions League qualification.
