We all agreed with Pep Guardiola. And it was only just over two years ago.
Manchester City won 1-0 at Southampton on the final day to become the first top-flight team in history to hit a century.
Guardiola said: “When you get to 100 points, it’s something special for all the club. It’s a record which will stay for long.”
Potentially, not long at all.
Guardiola – along with everyone else in football who marvelled at City’s achievement – are about to be proved wrong by Liverpool.
Just 60 miles or so along the south coast from St Mary’s, Liverpool delivered the 30th win of a season which now puts them in a fine position to smash that incredible record by their Premier League rivals.
With four games left, there is a good chance Jurgen Klopp’s team could win three to reach 101 points. Seeing Liverpool in that exclusive room will be real torture for City supporters.
Liverpool were not totally convincing but they have now overcome their title hangover and the 4-0 defeat to City. This team, like City’s back then, really is special.
The fact Liverpool are still picking teams off is some effort when you consider they won the title so early and are playing in such weird circumstances.
Helped by some suicidal defending, they raced into a two-goal lead with strikes from Mo Salah and Jordan Henderosn before the impressive Leonardo Trossard pulled one back just before the break.
Salah sealed it 15 minutes from the end when he headed in Andy Robertson’s corner at the near post. For the third time in six days, Liverpool’s victorious players received a guard of honour from their opposing team.
It is a nice gesture and it is unusual for a title to be won with so many games to spare. But surely one guard of honour is enough for anyone although this will continue for the final four matches.
During the final few games, Klopp will continue to rotate his team and give more chances to some of the club’s rising stars.
Welshman Neco Williams – who did not even make it onto the back of the official programme – was rewarded for some decent appearances as a substitute with his first Premier League appearance.
Yet it was at left-back, even though the 19-year-old normally plays on the right and he was replaced at half-time by Robertson. Not short of confidence, Williams turned fellow teenager Tariq Lamptey inside out and then showed off with a couple of stepovers.
And unlike Sunday’s laboured first half performance in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa, Liverpool were fizzing with energy and ideas although they were helped by some basic errors from Brighton, who have been so impressive since the restart and will surely be staying in the Premier League.
For some bizarre reason, though, they kept insisting on playing out from the back with dangerous passes which is a risky strategy against officially the best team in the world.
Fingers were pointing at Davy Propper as he took a heavy touch which saw him lose possession but it was a nasty pass from keeper Maty Ryan with Naby Keita breathing down the home midfielder’s neck.
Keita’s pass was calmly converted into the net by Salah, with Bobby Firmino selflessly leaving the ball for his team-mate.
Not learning from their early lesson, Brighton pressed the self destruct button a couple of minutes later. A poor pass out from defence by Adam Webster was intercepted and fed to Firmino and he played the ball forward to Salah.
Although he could not control the ball and was under pressure from Dan Burn, Henderson strode forward and stroked the ball into the corner brilliantly from 20 yards.
Brighton were being given an early beating. So it was apt that Mac Allister had to jog over to the sidelines to have a bloody nose cleaned after a collision with Joe Gomez.
Brighton finally dusted themselves down and caused the champions a few problems.
Williams did well to block a shot from Trossard scoring and Liverpool keeper Alisson, who is surely the best keeper in the world, made a decent block to deny Neal Maupay.
But Potter’s team kept pressing and deserved their goal just before the break.
Liverpool had switched off a few times at the back and they were punished when Lamptey’s cross was met with an outstanding finish from Trossard.
Salah had a few chances, but Brighton also threatened and Keita – Liverpool’s best player in the first hour – was replaced by Fabinho while Sane was also given a run-out.
Despite some scares, Liverpool held on – and they continue this remarkable charge towards history. Now, the next job is to take three points off Burnley on Saturday.
Although he would never admit it, for City boss Guardiola, Liverpool’s end to the season must be an absolute nightmare.
SOURCE
Mirror
