'That's the difference' - Liverpool's title-winning trait highlighted in Man City comparison
Micah Richards believes that Liverpool don't have to be playing well to succeed in the Premier League, drawing comparisons with Pep Guardiola's title-winning ways with Manchester City. The Reds are currently atop the English top flight table, looking increasingly likely to lift their second-ever Premier League trophy with each week that passes.
Under Arne Slot's tenure in the 2024/25 campaign, Liverpool have racked up 16 wins, five draws and just a single defeat - coming in the form of a 1-0 loss at the hands of an impressive Nottingham Forest back in September - and sit six points clear of second-place Arsenal with a game in hand as a result.
And while the Anfield elite haven't always played their best football in the league, Richards says that they have shown grit and determination to secure draws in close-fought contests rather than suffering defeat - said draws adding up to give Liverpool an extra five points on the tale.
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Speaking during a recent instalment of The Rest Is Football alongside Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer, the former Manchester City star explained: "You know times where City have won a league before or they've won big prizes? They've played well, but in big games they just found a way to win.
"And I think that's what Liverpool are doing right now. The confidence is so high within the camp, and even the games where they're not playing that well, they're getting draws - not losing are they? And I think that is the difference.
"You know when the momentum starts going in the dressing room, and you're thinking, 'We don't even have to play well to win,' then the confidence is going to be up. So they've got a good chance of doing the double this year."
Shearer then added: "It's all happening for them at the minute Liverpool, they're flying." For context, City won the Premier League in 2023/24 by just two points, but their seven draws from the course of the season made a massive difference in doing so - with the Cityzens likely missing out on glory had those points have been lost in defeat.
It was a similar state of affairs for Pep Guardiola's outfit in the 2022/23 campaign too - their five draws that season giving them a five-point edge on Arsenal to lift yet another league title. The Reds have split the points with Forest, Manchester United, Fulham, Newcastle, and Arsenal in the league this season thus far - and those spare points may end up being the deciding factor in finishing first or second when the final ball is kicked in a matter of months.
However, Slot will hope that his side continue their winning ways as the season kicks on - especially of the back of a 4-1 win over Ipswich on Saturday (January 25). Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring for Liverpool with 11 minutes played, when he rocketed the ball into the back of the net with his left foot from the edge of the box.
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Mohamed Salah doubled the hosts' lead ten minutes from half time, swinging the ball into the top of the net after being picked out at the back post by Cody Gakpo. The Dutchman himself made it 3-0 for the Reds with 44 minutes played, capitalising on a loose ball in the centre of the box, before doubling down in terms of goals on the afternoon in the 65th minute when Trent Alexander-Arnold found him bursting into the area.
Jacob Greaves' 90th minute header from a whipped corner served merely as a consolation goal for the visitors, who made the long journey back to Suffolk with nothing to show for their performance.
