Micah Richards says that he is '80-90 percent certain' Manchester City will win the Premier League title should they beat Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
Liverpool have started the day top of the Premier League on goal difference, but a draw or win over the Toon Army will take Pep Guardiola's side back to the summit. Sky Sports pundit Richards, an ex-Manchester City defender, has admitted he is more certain now about his former club's chances than he was before Liverpool drew with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening.
Appearing for Sky Sports at the Etihad stadium, ahead of Sunday's big match, presenter Dave Jones asked Richards if he thought a win for City against the Magpies would have the title in the bag for City. Richards said: "I would never say in the bag," before colleague Jamie Carragher interjected: "That's not what you said yesterday!"
READ MORE: Jamie O'Hara has x-rated argument with Liverpool fan as Manchester United mocked
READ MORE: What Tottenham fans sang at final whistle isn't true despite major Liverpool setback
Anchor man Jones agreed, adding: "To be fair to Jamie, that's exactly what you said yesterday. I read your newspaper column!"
Seeking to address the balance, Richards said: "I believe, because they've been so low, to come back - if they were to win today, they would be my favourites."
Challenging Richards, Jones said: "Favourites is different to saying they've won it. So you're not sure?" Richards responded: "I don't want to say it's done. Before the Liverpool game (against Tottenham) I would have been at 50-60 percent. Now I'm 80-90 percent confident that if they (City) win today, they will go on and win the league."
Despite Richards' apparent confidence in City to get the job done and win their fourth Premier League title in five years, former Liverpool defender Carragher still believes that Jurgen Klopp's men are in with a shout, even if Newcastle leave Manchester today with nothing.
He said: "No it's not lost. I always felt both teams would drop points and I thought this was the real danger game for Liverpool with the way Liverpool play. You think of Son and Kane on the counter-attack, and that was proven in the first goal that Spurs got. I thought it was a really good game. Spurs and Conte, they're a proper outfit, they came here (Etihad) and got three points as well, so it was always going to be a tough game."
Carragher added: "I don't think today is going to be a problem for Man City, but I look at the away games at Wolves and West Ham in their next week and I do think City will drop points in one of those games. But I think Liverpool dropping points yesterday means they can afford to do it. Can I see City dropping points in two games? Possibly not. I think for a long time I've always felt Liverpool had more difficult fixtures, but I thought if Liverpool could stay in the position they were in with two or three games to go, that makes it more difficult for City in terms of the away games.
"Wolves looked back to their best yesterday, West Ham will be a tough game for anyone at home, but the problem with Liverpool dropping points yesterday is that it gives City the get out of jail free card. If Liverpool won yesterday I think they'd have gone on to win the league, because I just think in those two away games I can see City dropping points in one of those games."
