Michael Owen has stated that Liverpool can ‘easily’ make up their three points deficit on Manchester City in the Premier League title race, but Chelsea will find it ‘a little bit more difficult’ with their six points.
The former striker did point out that Chelsea still have to play Pep Guardiola’s men, but their issue is that the game will be played at the Etihad, as he told Premier League Productions (19/12/21 at 7:25 pm).
The recent weekend of football action suited Manchester City down to the bone because their title rivals dropped points, whilst they outclassed relegation-threatened Newcastle United by putting four goals past them.
It means that the Citizens are top at Christmas and they have won the title every time they have been top during this period.
Of course, this doesn’t bode well for the two-team chasing pack, who are on the heels of their rivals and hoping to chase them down.
Nonetheless, this is what Owen had to make of the Premier League title race heading into the Boxing Day games and beyond.
“The title race is far from over,” said Owen. “Liverpool can easily make up three points.
“I think Chelsea six points, it’s a little bit more difficult. But they have to play them still. The only problem for them is that it’s at the Etihad.
“Manchester City are sitting pretty. It’s always nice to be top at Christmas. History will tell you that it’s the perfect place to be. But they still have teams chomping on their heels.
“Van Dijk is one of the most important players in the Premier League. They can’t be doing without him for too long, then they are going to struggle to win the league. When he gets back then you will see a different Liverpool.”
At the start of the season, it was a four-way title race, then Manchester United dropped out without really throwing any punches.
Now, it’s three of them going for it, but even then, some are questioning where Chelsea are heading given their poor run of form.
For Man City and Liverpool, they are proven, they have the pedigree and they know how to get through crucial periods, such as this current one.
It wouldn’t be a surprise that, come the crunch end of the season, that it’s Guardiola and Klopp fighting it out for the biggest prize of them all on the touchline.
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