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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Kadeem Simmonds & Jacob Leeks

Gary Neville makes 'dangerous' Liverpool title claim after Man City drop points

Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher believe the next few weeks for Liverpool and Man City in the Premier League will have huge ramifications for the title race.

City dropped points on Monday night after drawing 0-0 with Crystal Palace.

The stalemate moved City four points ahead of Liverpool though the Reds take on Arsenal on Wednesday and victory would close the gap to just a point.

It's been a remarkable 2022 for Jurgen Klopp's side, who have chased City down and created a title race no-one in football saw coming back in December.

Much of the success has come from Liverpool's potent attack which has seen Mohamed Salah lead the league in goals, Sadio Mane picking up from where he left off last season and Diogo Jota filling in for the Roberto Firmino when he's been out of the starting line-up.

READ MORE: Liverpool next six Premier League fixtures compared to title rivals Man City and Chelsea

READ MORE: Mohamed Salah injury concern grows as Liverpool striker absent from training

Add in January signing Luis Diaz and Neville believes the Reds hold an advantage over City when it comes to attacking talent.

"Liverpool are really dangerous," Neville said on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football show.

"They look really dangerous. I just look at those five strikers that they’ve got and going into the last part of the season knowing that you can win an awful lot of football matches with those five up front, whereas City don’t have that same luxury in attacking areas."

On City's draw with Palace, he added: "Liverpool gain some confidence. I don’t think Manchester City drop too much confidence. But you look at those fixtures, which ones are the difficult ones, which ones will they pick up points, but then you throw the Champions League quarters in, you don’t know which teams they’ll be drawn against yet.

"You can imagine those games [the quarters], you throw two big Champions League games in around that Liverpool v Manchester City game, and you’ve got a lot to contend with in terms of your squad. Burnley becomes tougher, Wolves becomes tougher for Manchester City.

"On the other side, Watford become a little bit tougher and Villa for Liverpool. These games that look simple become a lot more difficult when you throw those big, big European nights in the midst of it as well."

For Carragher, Wednesday's clash at the Emirates Stadium has added more pressure given what's at stake for his former club Liverpool and the Sky Sports pundit has labelled the next few games the 'toughest.'

"For so long in the last few weeks, City have been six points ahead of Liverpool, but they’ve had the game in hand," said Carragher. "But it’s still six points, you still have to win that game. I do feel the next game against Arsenal is absolutely huge. I think if Liverpool win away at Arsenal, psychologically that would really hurt City.

"Arsenal away and Manchester City away are the two big problems in Liverpool’s fixture list. Manchester City watching at home, Liverpool win at Arsenal, and go within a point and then they play Watford, you expect them to beat Watford.

"I actually think the fixtures, the next four for Liverpool and the next three for Manchester City could play a massive part. I do think the toughest games are right upon us right now."

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