The title race is well and truly on. Liverpool have been having a strong season so far but have spent a lot of it chasing Man City, who have won three more games this season than Liverpool at the time of writing.
The Reds have won 18 games this season, drawn 6 and lost 2; whereas the Sky Blues have won 21, drawn 3 and lost 3. Liverpool have a game in hand, however, and have been in hot, hot form, having won their last five games, whereas Man City have shown signs of faltering, having won only three of the last five.
Closing the gap
Liverpool injected a shot of hope into Anfield that the title could come home, victory. The team closed the gap with a 3-1 win over Norwich City at home. The Anfielders struck three times in the second half — Sadio Mané 64’. Mohammed Salah 67’ and Luis Díaz 87’ — after Norwich put the ball in the net first early into the second 45 minutes (Milot Rashica 48’), giving Liverpool a serious wake-up call in the game.
Liverpool close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to six points… pic.twitter.com/qjwjsKfumF
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 19, 2022
The victory closed the gap between Jurgen Klopp’s men and Pep Guardiola’s to six points and places some real pressure on Man City now. Liverpool might be trailing on points, but they’re three goals ahead on goal difference and on goal average. That could be decisive if the teams are in deadlock on the last day of the season.
A miserable day for Man City
Guardiola’s team will be ruing their missed opportunity to turn up the pressure on Liverpool.
Londoners Tottenham Hotspur gave the northerners a miserable night at the Etihad Stadium. A 95th-minute strike by Harry Kane robbed City of the one point they looked to be taking from the game. Until that point, the scoreline had been 2-2. Kane had been tormenting the team out on the pitch heavily by pulling the defence apart throughout the game. He’d already struck once, meeting Son’s cross to put the ball in the back of the net in the 59th minute, before delivering his late killer blow in the dying stages of the match.
It was a performance that made Kane the man of the match. He could even have had a hat trick, had it not been for a goal disallowed when he beat Edersen at his near post in the 74th minute. The VAR review showed Kulusevski had been offside in the build-up.
Kane’s goal will have come as a real punch in the stomach for City after Riyad Mahrez had put away a penalty in the 90+2nd minute of the game to level the score. A handball by Cristian Romero and a consultation by the referee with the VAR and his video monitor persuaded referee Anthony Taylor to blow for the penalty. Mahrez didn’t need telling twice and rifled the ball high into the back of the net from the eleven-yard spot.
That’s not the only reason City will be hurting. There has been the talk of Kane joining City someday. It’s a prospect that has been on the table for a long time, so the goals will have stung that little bit more.
Tough games ahead
City are under immense pressure and their manager is reported to have claimed the team may have to win every single remaining league game to defend their title successfully.
Their April clash with Liverpool will be decisive. Facing Manchester United and West Ham in May will also be unappetising for the team’s title hopes.
But City may choose to take some comfort from the fact they still have to face struggling Burnley, who are in the relegation zone, plus Leeds United, who are hovering uncomfortably above it.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have some difficult clashes in March as they face Arsenal and Manchester United. In May, Spurs, Wolves and Southampton could also give the team a much bumpier ride than they’d like to the title.
Stressful times for die-hard fans
The clashes above, not to mention events in general in the Premier League and how they could affect the teams, are sure to give their die-hard fans some heart-stopping moments. One way they can relieve some of this stress is by playing some online slots in the build-up to games.
Online casino operators have made their websites mobile-friendly and, in many cases, created apps so that players can enjoy games while they’re on the move. Whether their side is at home or away, the fans can log in and play games on their mobile devices during the journey to a match.
Slots are a simple form of entertainment and don’t require much strategy. They provide plenty of relaxation, the very thing a fan needs as they follow their team and experience with them on the highs and lows a title race can provoke. Even after the game, playing an online slot could be just the antidote if a game doesn’t go the way they want it to for their team.
The race is seriously on between Man City and Liverpool for the Premier League title. Liverpool are enjoying a good run of form, whereas Man City could be wilting slightly under the pressure, which certainly won’t trouble the Anfield faithful of course. The race could go all the way to the wire, but Liverpool fans will be hoping their team overtake City and hold them off until the end of the season. The chase is on!
