Between them, they have won the last four Premier League titles. Two of them have been decided by a solitary point and, with a couple of different results against Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp would be a three-time champion of England. Liverpool face Manchester City again on Sunday and their meetings have merited the tag of title deciders. “Could be this year,” Klopp said. “Just not with us.”
He had ruled his side out of the title race even before they lost at Arsenal. Now the kings would have to become kingmakers to exert a decisive impact at the top. But defeat would leave them 16 points behind City; even in 2020-21, when they played the majority of a campaign without specialist senior centre-backs, they were only 17 adrift after 38 matches.
