Michail Antonio thinks that Liverpool’s game against Manchester City this weekend is a title-decider.
Speaking on The Footballer’s Football Podcast (39mins 2secs), the West Ham United striker spoke about the Liverpool game with Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson.
“I think it’s the title decider, whoever wins this game wins the league, do you agree or disagree?” asked Antonio.
“I agree, but I also would say we have to play both of them, so Newcastle will play a part! Nah, I’m joking, I’m joking,” laughed Wilson.
With West Ham still to play City, Antonio also feels his team could have a say in where the title ends up.
“I honestly feel it’s a six pointer for either team. We have to play City at home as well. We’re going to have our part to play, as we need to win that game,” he said.
However, the striker feels that if one team loses this weekend, it will be difficult to catch the other.
“But either of them winning that will get them raring to go for the season. That means one person will be three points ahead and at least two games before the next person goes above them, so it will be very difficult with there only being seven games left,” said Antonio.
“The quality that they both have, for them to lose two games, I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but it’s going to be very hard.”
He could be right, Liverpool have only lost two Premier League games all season. City have only lost three. To expect them to lose two more in the last eight games would be a stretch.
Examining the run-in
Of course Sunday’s game is an absolute mammoth one. Liverpool haven’t got a great record at the Etihad and that’s going to have to change this weekend.
Although Liverpool have momentum having won 10 league games in a row, City are still ahead in the table. A loss for The Reds would put them four points behind Pep Guardiola’s team. Looking at City’s games, it’s hard to see where else they could really drop too many points.
Sunday’s game is their final one against the so-called “Big 6.” Meanwhile, The Reds still have to face Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United who are both in a battle for the top four.
City do have that tricky looking game away to West Ham. But otherwise all their fixtures are games you’d expect them to win.
That puts the pressure on Liverpool who also have a Merseyside Derby against a relegation-threatened Everton to contend with.
Sunday’s game could well decide the title. Both teams are good enough to win the rest of their matches after it. However, as the two players allude to here, there can still be twists and turns to come.
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