Ian Wright has backed Liverpool to fend off Manchester City’s bid to retain their Premier League crown.
The Reds currently sit four points clear at the summit of the table, and only have Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham left to face of the so-called ‘top six’.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo, when asked about his favourites for the title, Match of the Day pundit Wright said: “Liverpool because I took them at the start and they’ve given me a run for my money and that’s what I wanted.
“You look at City and the amount of points City accrued last season, and they look like they’re more than capable of doing the same thing. But I think that Liverpool have improved and I think they’re going to give them a run.
“What’s going to be interesting about it now is how Liverpool deal with the pressure they’re going to be coming under after not winning for 29 years. That’s what I want to see: how Liverpool deal with that and how the players deal with that and how Klopp deals with that.
“And that’s what I’m quite excited about, that it’s a race. It’s two teams. Not like records and points. Two teams.”
OPINION
Wright is spot on about pressure being the key factor in the title race this season. Liverpool are more than good enough to win the league, but it is now there’s to lose, and that changes everything. There’s a big difference between being perpetual underdogs and being odds on favourites, and it is essential that Jurgen Klopp’s men approach the next few months with the same poise and assurance that have gotten them this far. The other thing to consider is that Manchester City have done this before, and know exactly what it takes to win a title having dismantled the rest of the league without breaking a sweat this season. There’s a long way to go in the battle for the top, and Liverpool will be hoping that they have the legs to see through what would amount to a monumental achievement.
