New Delhi: Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Southampton on Sunday has propelled them to an impressive eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. This commanding position raises the question- is the title race already over, or is there still plenty to play for?
Historically, a lead of this magnitude after 12 games has been a strong indicator of success. The last time a team held an eight-point lead at this stage was Liverpool themselves in the 2019-20 season and they went on to lift the trophy that year. Similarly, the defending champions Manchester City held an eight-point advantage in the 2017-18 season and ended up as champions. The only other time a team had an even bigger lead was Manchester United in 1993-94 when they were nine points clear after 12 games and secured the title.
No Liverpool fan will scroll past without liking this post, Liverpool are 8 points clear! pic.twitter.com/Ixr7W3jg1g
— AS (fan) (@ArneSlotBall) November 24, 2024
With Liverpool amassing 31 points from the opening 12 matches, it’s worth noting that this achievement has only been matched or exceeded a few times in Premier League history. In fact, of the 10 teams to reach this tally, eight went on to win the title with Arsenal in 2022-23 and Newcastle in 1995-96 being the only exceptions. This gives Arne Slot side’s a solid foundation and many experts are already starting to consider them the favorites to end Manchester City’s reign as champions.
However, there are still plenty of hurdles to clear. Arne Slot’s Liverpool side will face a crucial test when they host City at Anfield next weekend. A victory would put them 11 points ahead of the reigning champions, a deficit that has only been overcome three times in Premier League history. The margin may appear large but with over 26 matches remaining it’s important not to dismiss City’s potential for a comeback.
The Red’s remarkable start to the season has undoubtedly been aided by a relatively easier fixture list. Opta’s analysis ranks their opening 10 games as the sixth easiest in the league. Meanwhile, City’s schedule was ranked only slightly tougher, sitting in fifth place for difficulty while Arsenal faced the toughest early-season tests.
Despite Liverpool’s strong start, Manchester City and Arsenal are currently trailing by eight and nine points respectively, and are not out of the race. The history of the Premier League is littered with examples of significant point deficits being overturned.
In the 2011-12 season, Manchester City made up an eight-point gap with just six games to play and eventually clinched the title on the final day. More recently, in the 2011-12 and 2021-22 seasons, teams have come from behind in dramatic fashion to secure the top spot.
While Liverpool’s momentum is impressive, the season is far from over. As Pep Guardiola’s City and Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal look to bounce back, Liverpool’s challenge will be to maintain their level of performance across the long haul. If they can continue collecting points at the current pace, they will certainly make the title race more difficult for their rivals.
💪🏼 Can @ManCity recover from its unprecedented form slump? Manager Pep Guardiola said he has the squad to bounce back
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— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_AUS) November 25, 2024
Let’s take a look at the biggest point deficits that Premier League winners have overcome.
Arsenal- 13 points
Arsenal holds the record for the biggest points comeback to win the title. In the 1997-98 season, they were 13 points behind Manchester United. It seemed like they were out of the title race when they were so far behind in late December and still 12 points behind in February.
But Arsene Wenger’s team made a remarkable recovery and ended up winning the title by just one point. This could bring hope to the Gunners fans.
Manchester United- 12 points
In the 1992-93 season, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United were seventh in the points table in December, 12 points behind leaders Norwich City. However, with Eric Cantona leading the way, United climbed to the top by mid-January, as Norwich’s form dramatically dropped.
In the end, United won the league by 10 points, though there were only 22 teams in the competition at that time.
In the 1995-96 season once again the Ferguson side’s comeback marked their dominance in that time. On January 21, Man United were 12 points behind Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle after 23 matches.
However, United came back to win the title and secured it with a final-day victory over Middlesbrough.
Manchester United- 10 points
Man United have been the comeback kings. They have had a few memorable comebacks from being 10 points behind in different seasons.
In the 1996-97 season, on December 17, they were 10 points behind leaders Liverpool, sitting in seventh place. With two games in hand, United managed to close the gap and won the title by seven points over Newcastle. Their 75 points that season is still the fewest ever recorded by a Premier League title winner.
In 2002-03, United were 10 points behind leaders Arsenal in mid-November and still eight points behind in late March. However, they went unbeaten for the last 18 matches of the season and made a strong recovery.
In the 2008-09 season, United were 10 points behind leaders Liverpool on December 18. But with three games in hand due to their participation in the Club World Cup, they fought back and went on to win the title by four points.
Manchester City- 10 points
In 2018-19, the defending champions, Manchester City, were 10 points behind Liverpool after going unbeaten in 20 matches, although they had played one more game by December. However, a fantastic second half of the season saw City close the gap and win the title by just one point. City fans can take hope from this and stay optimistic for the rest of the season.
For now, Liverpool appears to be the clear winner of the Premier League this season but the chasing pack is still lurking and ready to make a run for the crown. As always, the unpredictable nature of the league suggests that anything can happen in the upcoming days.
Liverpool leads the Premier League, but with rivals closing in, the title race is far from decided. Whether they can maintain their momentum through the season remains to be seen. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
