Manchester City and Liverpool will BOTH drop points in the run-in, claims Jamie Carragher, as he says Pep Guardiola’s side may be tripped up in a goalless draw, while Reds could play out a four-goal thriller
- Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has analysed the Premier League title race
- The former Reds defender has gone in depth on Manchester City and Liverpool
- City have the edge defensively, while Liverpool have stronger attacking stats
- He believes both clubs will drop points at some point near the end of the term
Jamie Carragher claimed both Manchester City and Liverpool will slip up before the end of the season, as he analysed their strengths and weaknesses with the Premier League title race going down to the wire.
Pep Guardiola’s City remain just one point above Jurgen Klopp’s Reds as they head into the final five matches of the season.
Liverpool appear to have the tougher run of fixtures, although the former defender Carragher insists both sides will slip from now until the end of the season.
Jamie Carragher has analysed both Manchester City and Liverpool in the race for the title
City remain one point ahead of the Reds with just five games left to be played this season
‘We’re talking about two brilliant teams,’ the Sky Sports pundit said on Monday Night Football.
‘You can’t really split them in an area of the game, but I can see both of them dropping points, I do believe that.
‘If you look at the attacking stats, this is when Liverpool have the slight edge, you look at the goals per game they have the slight edge.
‘Liverpool have scored 85 goals, Man City 80, when you talk about not having a striker the goals are still absolutely phenomenal from Man City.
Pundit Jamie Carragher believes both City and Liverpool will slip up down the final stretch
‘The XG per game shows that Liverpool have the edge. Man City’s top scorer is De Bruyne with 11, and for Liverpool it’s Salah with 22. There’s a big difference.
‘Man City obviously spread the goals out a bit more, but the numbers in terms of their top scorers show Liverpool have a big advantage in attack.’
He added: ‘If Man City are to drop points, it would be down to the fact they could have games where they fail to score.
‘Man City have failed to score in four games this season – Liverpool only one – and they have only scored once in seven games too, so that’s 11 games where they have scored one goal or zero goals.
‘So, you think, if Man City are going to drop points, it must be from a 0-0, there’s been evidence of that this season in games that we’ve seen.’
Pep Guardiola’s City side have failed to score in four Premier League games this season
Carragher insisted if Liverpool drop points it will be in a very different way as they seem to score goals in every single match.
Although, defensively City appear to have the edge, and the pundit believes that could be down to not playing with a true striker.
‘We should add that lot of those games where Liverpool dropped points were early on in the season and there has been a change, defensively, in the second half of the season,’ said Carragher.
‘But, if Liverpool drop points, you feel like it wouldn’t be a 0-0, it would be a 2-2.
‘The perceived weaknesses of the two sides are that City haven’t got a striker, and Liverpool’s high line. But I think in some ways those are both strengths for them as well.
‘The defensive stats show City have the edge. Most people would say Liverpool have the best defender in the world in Virgil van Dijk, but as a team, City are better defensively and that might have something to do with not having a striker.
Liverpool have arguably the best defender in the world in Virgil van Dijk (pictured above)
City have better defensive statistics than Jurgen Klopp’s (pictured) Reds this campaign
‘Maybe having more control of the ball in the game means people can’t attack them. Again the numbers are very close. Man City just have the edge.
‘Where there is a big difference is the xG per game. It’s almost a third higher for Liverpool.
‘There’s nothing in the clean sheets but the big one that stands out is that Manchester City have only conceded one goal from a set-piece, Liverpool seven.’