Liverpool host Manchester City this Sunday, live on Sky Sports, and it would not be a surprise if the table-topping clash was decided late on at Anfield.
A really important feature of Liverpool’s season has been their ability to score late goals. Jurgen Klopp’s side have scored 24 goals after the 75th minute, dwarfing what Manchester City and Arsenal have managed to do.
Those goals have earned Liverpool an additional 15 points – again, more than their title rivals. Is this a sign of them being slow starters as much as their rivals not needing to chase games late on? Quite possibly, but it is still a useful trait heading into the run-in.
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher believes it underlines why Klopp was so determined to bring in the five-sub rule earlier in his tenure.
Liverpool have made 119 substitutions in Premier League matches this season, with those changes resulting in a league-high 22 goals.
Carragher told Monday Night Football: “Since the five-sub rule came in, no one has utilised it better than Jurgen Klopp. When we highlight Arsenal, we think about how they can win the league… they’re the best defensively.
“Manchester City are probably the best team and have got the best individuals. But this is where Liverpool could win the league – from the bench.
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Liverpool have made 119 substitutions this season
“Jurgen Klopp always uses five subs. When we talk about using the bench, the interesting thing is that when it comes to subs used, Liverpool dwarf Arsenal and Man City.
“It shows the power from the bench, certainly in terms of scoring goals – 38 per cent of them have come after the 75th minute. Would you believe, Liverpool have actually scored a bigger percentage of goals in the final 15 minutes than they have in the entire first half of matches.
“It shows they’ve got players ready to come off the bench, they’ve got quality, and credit to Jurgen Klopp.”
Thierry Henry added: “Jurgen trusts what he’s got on his bench. If you look at other teams in the Premier League, you have some players who will not join a club if they’re going to sit on the bench.
“Sometimes, Pep [Guardiola] doesn’t even make any changes. Klopp does trust his bench, even when he has youngsters on there.”
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Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry dissect Liverpool’s controversial late goal against Nottingham Forest
Neville: You have to win at rivals to be crowned champions
Gary Neville believes title races are often decided by games where the main protagonists face each other. During his time as a player, fixtures against Arsenal under Arsene Wenger and Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2010 stand out.
On all three occasions, United were beaten at Old Trafford which later played a significant part in deciding who were crowned champions in May.
Sunday 10th March 3:00pm
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“I genuinely think Liverpool and Arsenal have to believe that they’re going to beat Manchester City,” Neville told Sky Sports. “To make this monumental change that you need to take on a team like City and damage their belief and City, you need to beat them.
“Liverpool and Arsenal need to think about those games – and I’m not saying go out and charge at them for half an hour and panic – I think you need to beat them.
“I always thought when Arsenal won the league, they came to Old Trafford and they didn’t just take a point, they shocked us. They shook us to the ground.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool
“They scored through Sylvain Wiltord and then you think of when Chelsea beat us under Carlo Ancelotti, when Jose Mourinho won the league for the first time, they beat us. If you want to go and win the league and damage the mentality of a team like Man City, you have to go and do it.
“You can’t go and rely on other teams and think ‘oh they might drop points here or there’ – Liverpool and Arsenal both have Man City in the next few weeks and they can’t look upon anyone else to help them. They have to go and win.
“Not necessarily because a point against Man City isn’t always a good point, but to change the belief in this stadium and with Pep Guardiola and what exists here, where they feel like they’re going to win the title.
“Pep has already told us they think they’re going to win the title! You have to do something big to shift that belief. I’m really looking forward to the next few weeks.”
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