In every other season bar the last two, Liverpool’s recent haul of 97 points would have won the Premier League title, and almost every time it would have been emphatic. Unfortunately for them, however, they were up against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, one of the greatest sides in English footballing history. They picked up 98 points last campaign, finishing one above the Reds. Incredibly, it was actually a worse haul than the 2017/18 season, in which they became the first side to amass 100 points in the Premier League.
From start to the finish, it was almost too close to call. Although Chelsea kept up with the two for the first 12 games, Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp’s sides were head and shoulders above the other 18 in the division. The stats show just how evenly matched the two were: the lead changed hands on no less than 30 occasions by the end of April according to the Panini Tabloid, with Liverpool actually spending more days in first place (139 to their rivals’ 113) and only one of those occasions not involving City or the Reds – Chelsea managed to finish gameweek five at the top of the table.
It was an incredible season and a fantastic title race but in the end, it did become a little predictable despite first place changing hands so many times. Liverpool’s 10-game-winning run from March 10th was impressive, but cancelled out by City’s own as they won their last 16. And after the top two, there was a huge gap. Chelsea, who finished third, trailed second place by 25 points, and from a combined 76 games, Liverpool and City dropped points in just 14 matches between them – two of which were against each other.
But such dominance by the duo now raises questions about the overall competitiveness of the Premier League. England’s elite division has prided itself as being the most exciting top flight in Europe. The rhetoric is that any of six sides can win the title at the start of each season, compared to two in Spain and one each in Italy, Germany and France – barring the odd anomaly.
However, Manchester City have now picked up 198 points from two seasons, and Liverpool are the only side to have been able to come anywhere close in that time. Currently, the two are streets ahead of their rivals, and that does not look like changing next time out either.
Chelsea are currently in disarray, having lost their manager and their best player, and they will also serve a two-window transfer ban. Manchester United and Arsenal’s primary objective next year will be getting out of the Europa League and into the top four – a title challenge for either would be a welcome luxury. That leaves Champions League finalists Tottenham, but they finished 27 points off the top last time out.
Stranger things have happened in football, but it looks unlikely that anyone else other than Liverpool and City will be at the Premier League’s summit come next May.
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