Pundit Jamie Carragher during a Premier League match
Pundit Jamie Carragher during a Premier League match
Liverpool showed that they respect Manchester City, but knew it was time to flex their muscles and lay down a strong title challenge on Sunday.
They took the game to City and earned the right to move 11 points clear of the defending champions. After the game, Arne Slot, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk offered plenty of respectful words in City's direction but it was clear Liverpool's focus was firmly on a title race that doesn't look like involving City any more.
They must ensure now that they don't let anyone back into title contention - and that means continuing to respect bruised teams like City. It's a shame Jamie Carragher couldn't show that same respect in the Sky Sports studio.
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Carragher has never hidden his dislike for City, especially on US TV, and the grin was plastered on his face throughout the post-match analysis on Sky when it turned to the Blues' many problems.
It's a grin that will also have been seen on the faces of 60,000 fans leaving Anfield. That's part of football. Why would any Liverpool fan not be absolutely ecstatic about the result and the table?
It was a comment by Carragher on Kevin De Bruyne that was most curious, however. De Bruyne has emerged from the bench in City's last five games in his bid to regain fitness., often after a game is lost or at the very least with City facing an uphill battle.
Both De Bruyne and Pep Guardiola have preached patience over his fitness, saying he is free from pain but his condition must be managed carefully. There is undoubtedly something odd about his desperately slow return to the starting line up, however it tracks with the public comments from player and manager.
City lost De Bruyne for months last season and have suffered from rushing him and others back from injury too soon.
So for Carragher to say with glee that "something is not right there between those two," is intentionally stirring the pot when there is no evidence to suggest anything remotely resembling a feud.
"Something is amiss," added Carragher, despite the fact that the two clearly have the ultimate respect for one another. There was an attempt to link De Bruyne's playing time to his contract situation despite the fact De Bruyne spelled out clearly that he wants to wait to be fully over his injury before talks over a new deal.
Carragher must have missed that well-publicised press conference that took place less than a week ago. Easily done.
Even with a points difference of double figures and a free run at the title, maybe Liverpool still are worried by City. If Carragher can put two and two together and pluck a completely illogical figure out of thin air, then suggesting Liverpool still think City can come back is a perfectly reasonable conclusion to reach.
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