The Sunday News
MANCHESTER City hold a one-point advantage at the top of the table after their draw at West Ham and Liverpool’s victory at Southampton in the penultimate round of games.
Few people expect the defending champions to surrender their lead, and not just because no side has ever started a Premier League final day top and not ended it there.
The main reason is that City have been simply superb this season, winning 28 games to stay out in front despite Liverpool clawing back what was at one stage a double-digit lead.
Liverpool
Pep Guardiola’s men host Aston Villa on Sunday, knowing a win would make Liverpool’s result at home to Wolves academic and seal a fourth league title of their Spanish manager’s six-season reign.
Claiming the league crown would put some salve on the wounds inflicted on City in the latter stages of this season by the Reds, who beat them in the FA Cup semi-final, and Real Madrid, who stunned them with a late comeback in the Champions League last four.
It would also deny Jurgen Klopp’s side a shot at a historic quadruple, with the Carabao and FA Cups already in the Anfield trophy cabinet and the Champions League final to come.
Jurgen Klopp
All Liverpool can do is beat Wolves at home and hope Villa can do them a favour at the Etihad, with a draw no good for them because of their goal difference, even if City lose.
This season is the third time in four campaigns that the pair have claimed the top two spots. If they match each other’s result on Sunday, it will be the second time, after 2018-19’s gripping race, that they have been separated at the top by just a point. — BBC Sport
