Micah Richards reckons that the title race between Manchester City and Liverpool could be decided this weekend.
The two titans have just four games left in a tense battle for the top prize with just a point to separate them. It has become too close to call while there is so much on the line going into every match day.
Pep Guardiola saw his side crash out of the Champions League in dramatic fashion against Real Madrid after conceding twice in injury-time. After already losing to Liverpool in the FA Cup, it means that the Premier League is the only trophy left on offer.
Jurgen Klopp, on the other hand, could end the season lifting every piece of silverware possible to him with Chelsea in the FA Cup final and Real Madrid in the Champions League final. That would see this Liverpool go down in history as one of the best sides of all time.
But Richards believes that the title race could be decided as early as this weekend after City's Champions League capitulation. They face high-flying Newcastle this Sunday, who have been in top form in recent weeks.
In the Daily Mail, Richards wrote: "Until that ruthlessness returns in front of goal, something so clearly missing against Real, they run the risk of experiencing further nights like Wednesday. What will it mean for the Premier League? We will know on Sunday.
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"The stadium will have to be alive because the players will need lifting. Producing a performance against Newcastle after defeat is significantly different to winning at Leeds following their first-leg exploits.
"I believe three points will see them go on to become champions and that, more than anything, would be an appropriate way to celebrate what we did in 2012. Four titles in five years would be an outstanding achievement."
While City are looking to win their fourth Premier League in five years, it is the Champions League that continues to elude them. Ironically, that is the one trophy that the Abu Dhabi owners are most desperate to land.
And Guardiola amazingly admitted that he might not be the right coach to finally end their European hoodoo after coming close two years in a row. He said: "The owners didn't buy this club and invest in these incredible facilities just to win the Champions League, they did it to be there in all competitions, every season.
"We want to [win the Champions League], maybe I am not good enough to help the team to do it. Nobody knows what would happen with another manager and other players.
"The people say if this group of players or Guardiola don't win a title, then they're failures, I completely disagree. We know how difficult everything is."
