His former Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville isn’t convinced. But Roy Keane believes Liverpool do have the advantage in the Premier League title race.
Going into the final international break of the year the Reds find themselves clear at the top after taking 10 points from a possible 12.
Over the same period of time Arsenal took just two points and are now nine points behind Arne Slot’s table-toppers. And while injury-hit City started the run of matches well, edging past Wolves and Southampton, back-to-back defeats, at Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion, mean they are now five points behind the leaders Liverpool
No team in Premier League history has been at least five points clear after 11 games and failed to go on to win the title
For Neville, though, he still can’t believe the Reds are now considered strong favourites to lift the championship.
“Last night I got stopped in my tracks because I was on Instagram and I saw Sky Sports post out a title probability percentage,” said Neville on The Overlap’s Stick to Football, brought to you by Sky Bet.
It blew my mind actually. I was mesmerised. Liverpool 60% most likely to win the title, City 34%, Arsenal 4.9% chance. I was like there is no way that’s right.
“Arsenal at 4% and Liverpool at 60%, I just don’t feel that probability is right at this moment in time.”
Keane, however, took the opposite view. “I’ve never written off Manchester City over the past four or five years – even when Arsenal have been brilliant, I backed City all day,” said the ex-United captain, speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet
The circumstances are different now, though – Liverpool are doing well off the back off finishing third last year on 82 points.
“Liverpool haven’t come from anywhere, where you can say they’ll be out of steam by Christmas, but you look at where City are – the injury to Rodri changed it. The worry at City, you look at certain players – Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, and Kyle Walker off it – that sways it to Liverpool.”
The Reds have won a club-record 15 of their opening 17 matches in all competitions since Slot took over from the legendary Jurgen Klopp.
And Keane said: “Jurgen Klopp deserves praise for the group of players he left behind for this manager (Slot) to take over. It does seem with Liverpool that it’s all a bit more controlled. When they’re winning games, they look in control.
“Like every team, if they miss a couple of players, of course they will struggle.”
The Reds return to action on Sunday week when they head to rock-bottom Southampton. Arsenal host surprise-package Nottingham Forest and City entertain Tottenham Hotspur the day before.
