The psychology of football is a very complicated subject and Manchester City’s mental resolve will be tested to the limit over the coming weeks.
Liverpool have been scheduled to play ahead of their Premier League title rivals for the next three weeks. It’s been a trend of countless title races between the two sides: City put on the pressure first, Liverpool respond with a win, Liverpool does the same, City also win.
So, when is actually the best time to play in an intense title race – first or second? To analyse this, let’s look back at how the mouth-watering 2018/19 run-in played out.
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By matchday 30, Manchester City had clawed themselves back from an eight-point lead deficit to sit one point ahead after Liverpool had dropped points away at rivals Manchester United and Everton in consecutive away games. With any other candidates already fallen away, it was clear one of these two sides were going to be lifting the trophy come May.
To add to the mounting title race tension, City and Liverpool’s final league games were disrupted by the former's participation in the FA Cup, and both sides' progression in the Champions League. For the final eight games, City played first on four occasions, with Jurgen Klopp’s side setting the pace the other four weeks. However, the timing of the games is where this is the most significant.
Pep Guardiola’s side tended to play first towards the beginning of the run-in, with victories over Watford, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Tottenham coming directly before Liverpool’s wins against Burnley, Tottenham, Chelsea and Cardiff. Every one of those games was, of course, as gritty as you’d expect. However, for the last three games, before both sides played at the same time on the final day, City had to respond to Liverpool’s results – it was a real test of their nerve.
Due to City’s FA Cup semi-final, their meeting with local rivals Manchester United was rescheduled to a midweek, just days before another away trip to Turf Moor – a game Guardiola famously described as ‘going to the dentists’. Despite some moments of apprehension, the Blues won both games.
On the penultimate game week, Liverpool scraped past Newcastle just days before City’s Monday night showdown with Leicester City. With Guardiola’s side needing the three points, supporters will need no reminding Vincent Kompany’s wonder-strike propelled City just one win from glory.
It was a title they would ultimately capture just a week later, but the final few weeks had shown the Blues squad were capable of handling endless amounts of pressure – something they may have to do for a second time around.
In the next few weeks, Liverpool face Brighton, Arsenal and Watford before City’s clashes with Crystal Palace and Burnley. If Klopp’s men were to win all three games, it would, each time, place immense pressure on City to respond and maintain that tight gap at the top of the Premier League table.
As three seasons ago prove, City have held off a fearsome challenge from Liverpool already. They can do it again.
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