A season when the EPL runners-up could have won in another year, Latest Football News - The New Paper
Football

A season when the EPL runners-up could have won in another year

Having absorbed everything Liverpool could throw at them in a titanic title battle, Manchester City will retain their English Premier League crown with victory at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

It is possible they could get by with a draw, or even an unlikely defeat, as they will start their final game one point ahead - but Pep Guardiola's side know better than to expect gifts from Merseyside.

In all likelihood, City will rack up a 14th successive league win and Liverpool will beat Wolverhampton Wanderers to make it nine in a row - and City will take the honours with 98 points to Liverpool's 97.

To put that into perspective, those totals would be the second and third highest in the history of the EPL - behind only City's record-breaking 100-point haul last season, when Guardiola delivered his first title.

If there was ever a case to share the trophy, it is this season, such has been the excellence of both clubs.

Juergen Klopp's Liverpool finished 25 points behind City last year, but rose to the challenge and have bridged that gap playing football that at times has surpassed even the dazzling standards of Guardiola's side.

Liverpool have lost just once to City's four defeats and were briefly seven points in front in January, but in the run-in they have found that as well as the style that is Guardiola's blueprint, his team also have core of steel.

That manifested itself perfectly on Tuesday morning (Singapore time) when, with Leicester City holding out at the Etihad Stadium, captain marvel Vincent Kompany thumped home a 30-metre screamer to send his side into the final day with their fate in their hands.

It was their third 1-0 victory in four games and, say what you like about Liverpool's armour-plated defence, City have conceded only three times in their last 13 games as they bid to become the first club to retain the EPL title since Manchester United 10 years ago. - REUTERS

Football