Gary Neville has admitted that Liverpool and Chelsea could still overtake Manchester City in the title race.
Liverpool recorded a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday to reduce their gap to Manchester City to nine points, with a game in hand still to play.
It followed City dropping two points in their draw with Southampton on Saturday, while Chelsea also capitalised on the opportunity with a 2-0 win over Spurs.
After fears that City had already accumulated an insurmountable lead, Neville suggested that the Reds still have time to catch Pep Guardiola’s side this season.
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“It can happen. Liverpool have got it in them if they can keep that strongest XI together. Get Mane and Salah back flying,” he said on the Gary Neville Podcast .
“Liverpool are doing really well without two of their main players. They are [in the title race]. Little things like that give a bit of encouragement, with Southampton getting a point against City.
“City, they’re a machine, you don’t expect them to make a lot of mistakes but they could and Liverpool and Chelsea have got to believe that.
“I’m not that disappointed with Liverpool, to be honest, because I think they have to be at full-pelt all the time to get [alongside] City, just for the fact they haven’t got the squad that City have got.
“But I do think Chelsea have and I expect it to get close. I don’t expect this runaway lead.”
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Neville continued: “Five weeks ago, we expected a three-horse race and we’ve also been pushed into thinking that City have won it.
“I don’t think we've got the three-horse race back this weekend through the fact that Chelsea have won and Liverpool have won and City have drawn.
“But I don’t think we’re going to have that runaway, sort of 20-point championship that we’ve had sometimes with City.”
Liverpool will now have some time to recover during the Premier League’s winter break and will make their return against Cardiff City in the FA Cup on February 6.
The Reds will face Leicester at home in their next league game on February 10, where Jurgen Klopp could have Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Naby Keita all back available after the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Having played five games without the trio while the trio were away on AFCON duty, the team recorded four wins and a draw in all competitions while also reaching the Carabao Cup Final.
