Following another lamentable defeat at Anfield at the hands of Brighton, those with Liverpool at the forefront of their minds may fear that hopes of retaining their Premier League title are dwindling.
With Manchester City looking formidable at the summit, both the Reds and their arch-rivals Manchester United have been left somewhat in a Sky Blue wake.
Former Rangers and Scotland striker Ally McCoist, the all-time leading scorer for the Ibrox club with 355 goals, has told talkSPORT that, despite Jurgen Klopp’s sides recent failings, they remain the main challengers to Manchester City.
When asked by Alan Brazil if the Reds are more likely to lift the title than United this season, McCoist replied: “I think they are. You’ve got to say Liverpool have been a little bit unlucky with their injuries. I don’t think anybody could deny that.”
The 58-year-old went on to describe City as “by far and away outstanding favourites” to lift the title at the end of the season.
Liverpool are currently counting the cost of their absentees, with Alisson Becker, Sadio Mane, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Diogo Jota all missing the defeat against Brighton – adding to the three season-long layoffs suffered by central defensive trio Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.
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Whilst it seems unlikely in this convoluted and inconsistent season, the Reds are capable of compiling a winning run, potentially as key players return to fitness.
Although all hope may seem lost right now, the last two campaigns have shown that this side are capable of pulling off what seems impossible, and many Kopites will likely enjoy McCoist tipping them to pose a greater title challenge than their nemeses from Old Trafford.
What is for sure is that there would be no better way to make a statement about their ongoing title credentials than by beating City on Sunday at Anfield. Anything but a victory, though, may force Kopites to reset their expectations this season and admit that injuries may ultimately get the better of their title aspirations.
