Steve McMananaman has suggested that Liverpool and Manchester City’s rivals will need to match their prior points tallies to be in with a shout for the title.
Thomas Tuchel’s men currently lead the Reds by a point in the English top-flight, with the Citizens a point behind in third.
“Liverpool and Manchester City are the only teams to get to 100, 99, 97 – 99 points Liverpool got [in 2019/20],” the former Reds winger told BT Sport (via the Echo).
“Everyone around them has to get to that point, the teams that Liverpool and Manchester City have, have gotten to 100 and 99 points.
“I know Chelsea have added [Romelu] Lukaku in which is an improvement to their squad and they will be better. United have spent more so they’ll probably be better.
“But you still have to get to the bar that Liverpool and Manchester City have set. So they should be the standard bearers straight away.”
The Anfield-based outfit have been largely overlooked by pundits outside of Merseyside following a drop-off in results last term.
Should we manage to reach the 97-plus points total previously topped by ourselves and Pep Guardiola’s men, Liverpool would stand a more than good chance of securing a 20th league title.
On current form – particularly with a full-strength squad once again available to Jurgen Klopp – you’d be hard-pressed not to back us to be there or thereabouts at the top of the table come the season end.
Certainly, if Mo Salah can continue his outrageous form at a domestic level, we’ll have all the firepower we need to carry us through the campaign safely.