MOTD pundits clash on whether Liverpool can catch Manchester City in the Premier League title race

Manchester City continued their fine form this weekend beating Chelsea 1-0, moving them 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Pep Guardiola’s side have been in top form, winning 18 of their 22 league games so far and extending their run to 12 consecutive victories in England’s top-flight.

Liverpool sit second in the table with one game in hand on City and are without their dynamic duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. The pair are representing Egypt and Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations respectively.

Nevertheless, the gap between the two North West clubs has sparked debate, with some pundits suggesting the title race is all but over, while others believe Jurgen Klopp’s men could still catch up to the Sky Blues.

What’s been said?

Speaking on Match of the Day 2, former Arsenal forward Ian Wright thinks in order for City to be caught, Liverpool will have to ‘win every game’.

‘Manchester City are flying,” Wright said. “So it’s going to take a lot for anybody to take points off of them. So Liverpool are in a position where they have to win every game.

“What they want is, by the time the two main guys [Salah and Mane] get back there, they still want to be in and around it. I can’t see City dropping points, but Liverpool cannot afford to drop any.”

However, following on from what Wright had to say, ex-Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy added the task his former club face ‘is like climbing Everest’, but that it can be achieved with ‘belief’ given they have done it in the past.

He said: “At the moment for Liverpool, results are better than performances. You’d rather play badly and win at this stage of the season.

“To catch City, is like climbing Everest. But Everest has been climbed before.

“Liverpool are the only side who have taken the title off City in recent years, so there’s got to be some belief in there.”

The Sky Blues face Southampton on Saturday, while Liverpool take on Crystal Palace on Sunday.