Liverpool did a professional job on Manchester City on Sunday to extend their lead over the current champions.
Despite City’s poor form, the match was billed as being the biggest test yet of the Reds’ title credentials.
As they have with every other examination under Arne Slot so far, Liverpool passed this one with flying colours.
Their 2-0 win could – and perhaps should – have been even more. A message was sent out to the rest of the Premier League that this Liverpool team means business.
Players such as Virgil van Dijk have been praised for their contribution to rendering City as an ineffectual and toothless opponent.
But according to former Reds full-back Steve Nicol, there was still something that stood out of the game as being a ‘shame’ for Liverpool.
(THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield on December 0...
Photo by Nikki Dyer – LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Steve Nicol says Liverpool deserved more goals
Nicol is always a voice worth listening to on matters relating to Liverpool.
The pundit does not often mince his words and as well as arguably being part of Liverpool’s all-time best XI, Nicol is a successful former manager in the USA.
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Analysing the Reds’ comfortable win over Man City for ESPN, the 62-year-old claimed that the only issue was that Liverpool really deserved to beat the champions by even more.
“Scary, scary good,” Nicol replied when asked if ‘life is good’ for Liverpool right now.
READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk’s pre-match team talk captured on camera before Liverpool beat Man City
“The 25 minutes that Liverpool showed in the second-half against Brighton, I thought they’re not going to top that, but they did in the first-half.
“I have never seen any team dominate the opposition, who were supposed to be the best, as much as Liverpool dominated this game.
“It really is a shame that it wasn’t 3-0 at half-time because that’s what they deserved to be and that’s what it should have been,” he added. “It was complete, total, utter, dominance.”
Liverpool saving their goals for busy week?
Nicol is right here, Liverpool should have been out of sight after the first-half against City.
Perhaps the biggest chance fell to Van Dijk, who would have been certain to score had his header hit the target from Alexis Mac Allister’s corner.
Going in at half-time it had felt as though the lack of a second goal may come back to bite Liverpool. But they put in a professional second-half display to ensure that that would not be the case.
It’s also true that Liverpool knew they’ve got another busy week ahead.
There’s no use the goals drying up ahead of visits to both Newcastle and Everton.
Hopefully the Reds kept some back for two enormous games in the Premier League. Get a few in each of those matches and they’ll surely be looking at another six points.
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