Liverpool legend Ian Rush believes his old side have given Manchester City 'food for thought' in the Premier League title race.
Jurgen Klopp’s side moved to within three points of Pep Guardiola’s team following their 6-0 demolition of Leeds United on Wednesday night.
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane scored two apiece while Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk were also on target at Anfield.
The gap between the Reds and City stood at 14 points in January, but the title race now looks to be heading to the wire following an incredible swing over the last few weeks.
And Rush believes the swing in the table over the past couple of weeks means Guardiola can no longer afford to take his eye off the ball in the Premier League.
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“Manchester City have been in phenomenal form this season but it just goes to show you how strong Liverpool have been of late as there’s now only three points in the Premier League title race and all to play for,” he told Gambling.com.
“It’s very much game on and it’s great for the Premier League in general because for a long time it seemed as though it was going to be settled well before May, but Liverpool’s relentless pursuit of City is paying off.
“This time last week City looked so comfortable in both the Premier League and the Champions League after their first-leg performance against Sporting, but now Pep Guardiola has been given some food for thought and he can’t take his eye off the ball in the league.
“But that’s what it’s all about at this level. If you want to compete for all the major honours, you’ve got to deal with all these different scenarios and know when to rest key players and when to use your squad depth.
“Jurgen Klopp has done an excellent job of that and that’s why Liverpool are competing on all fronts again. When Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Klopp managed his side so well and it’s bearing fruit now.
“Speaking of Mane, he’s been brilliant since he’s come back from AFCON, winning the tournament for Senegal seems to have boosted his confidence and he looks back to his old self.
“Salah was on the losing side of that final of course, but he actually looks more determined than ever to me.
"Maybe the disappointment of losing the final with Egypt is spurring him on somehow and Liverpool are benefitting from both players’ reaction to the AFCON final.
“Then you have Luis Diaz getting off the mark against Norwich and slotting nicely into the side in the absence of Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota.
“Diaz is still settling in and getting used to the pace of the Premier League, but it’s great to see him getting plenty of game time. If everyone was fit, he’d probably be getting fewer minutes which would slow down his progress.
“His goal against Norwich was quality. The finish was obviously first class but what I really loved about the goal was Diaz’s run and the pass from Jordan Henderson.
“I used to look for runs like that in my day, searching for space in between defenders. If you watch the goal again, you can see him looking for the space before the ball has been played and before he’s made the run – that’s the sign of a quality striker.
“I was fortunate as a player because I had Kenny Dalglish making those passes – he was the best in the world at putting the ball in space, so it was nice to see Henderson having an eye for that sort of pass.”
Next up for the Reds is Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday afternoon at Wembley, and Rush believes Romelu Lukaku could again be snubbed by Thomas Tuchel.
The Belgium international has struggled in recent months and only touched the ball seven times during his side’s 1-0 victory Crystal Palace on Saturday.
It was the lowest number any player has managed in a 90-minute Premier League appearance since at least 2003, when that data was first recorded.
Lukaku then found himself on the bench for his side’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Lille at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
“Bear in mind a lot of these Chelsea players experienced defeat in Wembley against Leicester in last season’s FA Cup final, and I would imagine players of this calibre would have learned from that game and will look to utilise that experience come Sunday,” Rush said.
“Romelu Lukaku was not part of that squad and much of the build-up will centre around whether or not Thomas Tuchel will start him on Sunday.
“Chelsea tend to play better whenever he doesn’t play and they had a good win against Lille on Tuesday after he was taken out of the firing line.
“It’s a big decision for Tuchel and one that will keep Klopp guessing. Maybe Tuchel rested him on Tuesday so that he could regroup to be ready in time for the final, who knows? I think we’ll see him in some capacity, whether that’s from the start or as an impact sub.
“I don’t think it’ll bother Klopp too much either way, I expect him to start Virgil van Dijk no matter what and I’d fancy him to get the better of whoever Tuchel names up front.
“Similarly, Thiago Silva will be a big presence at the back for Chelsea. I know he’s getting on a bit now but he’s really impressed me this season – he’s been excellent – and his experience will count a lot for Chelsea.
“The top talents will shine through on Sunday and we could see one of the younger players come of age.”
