Imagine what a title race this could be, if only Manchester City didn’t exist. On Sunday, Arsenal and Tottenham played out a thrilling and high-quality 2-2 draw; both have dropped only four points this season. Brighton are averaging three goals a game and have dropped just three points in six games. And as Manchester United and Chelsea struggle – because at least one big team has to be in crisis to offer a sense of light and shade – Sunday’s win over West Ham would have carried Liverpool top of the table having won five in a row, as their midfield rebuild begins to mesh with the rejuvenated forward line.
But City do exist and their excellence means Liverpool are only second. City have won five of the last six league titles and with each passing week it becomes increasingly likely they’ll make that six out of seven. And while much will – rightly – be made of their ownership, and of the 115 charges they face relating to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations as they built to this position of strength, they are also an extraordinary football team.
