Liverpool legend Steve Nicol says who’s favourites for Premier League title after Pep Guardiola’s new Man City deal

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Manchester City can put Liverpool under a little pressure with a win in the Premier League on Saturday.

City are on a terrible run of form, having lost four games in a row in all competitions.

However, with Pep Guardiola at the helm – and on the back of four Premier League titles in succession – many will still make City, not Liverpool, favourites to lift the title in May.

Guardiola is obviously going to be key to that, and the Spaniard has delighted fans of his club, and elicited groans from the rest of the division, by signing a new contract through to 2027.

The perfect way to follow that up would be with a win against Tottenham on Saturday evening, before Liverpool play Southampton the following day.

There is then a trip to Anfield on the horizon for City and we’ll surely learn a lot from what happens on December the 1st. In the meantime, though, former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol has predicted the affect Guardiola’s new deal may have on the Premier League title race.

Steve Nicol names Liverpool as title favourites

In our opinion, it is still a little early to be choosing favourites for the league title. City start every year as the most likely team to win and that is still how it remains.

Guardiola penning a new contract is likely to give the champions a lift and it’s unlikely that they will go through a similarly bad run as they are right now again.

Nevertheless, speaking to ESPN FC, Liverpool legend Nicol says that whatever is going on at City, the Reds are the team to beat at the moment.

“I think right now you’ve got to say Liverpool,” he says, when asked to pick his favourite to win following the Guardiola news.

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“We’re talking positively about City but the truth of the matter is they still have half of the team injured and they’re five points behind Liverpool.

“And so, if Liverpool continue to pick up the points and play as well as they are, there’s certainly no room for Arsenal to slip up anymore, that’s for sure, 100 per cent.

“Is there any wiggle room for City? Maybe, but I tell you what, they can’t afford to lose another two or three games in the near future because if they do, regardless of how good Pep is, and even if they get all the players back, it’s going to be too much. The gap’s going to be too big.”

Liverpool all set for huge Man City clash

Clearly, something could change here if City fail to beat Spurs on Saturday. The North Londoners have been a thorn in Guardiola’s side more than once.

Whatever the result of that match at the Etihad Stadium, though, Liverpool have to ensure they beat Southampton on Sunday.

Maintain at least a five point lead heading into next week’s clash with City and Liverpool then have the chance to put significant difference between them and their nemesis.

As Nicol says, City do have some injury problems to deal with. Guardiola has notably had to field a makeshift back four recently.

But however he lines his team up at Anfield, it’s going to be the biggest test of Arne Slot’s time as Liverpool head coach so far.

The atmosphere is set to be rocking for Guardiola’s first visit to the stadium without Jurgen Klopp on the touchline. Southampton first needs to be navigated, but there’s no getting away from just how big next week’s clash is.