“Having observed Manchester City’s recent performance, I now feel more assured that Liverpool still has a chance to secure the league title” – Jamie Carrangher declares after watching Manchester City win against Brentford.

Manchester City successfully navigated their first game in hand against Liverpool, closing the gap to just two points with a victory over Brentford. However, I must admit that I wasn’t entirely impressed by their performance.

Like many Liverpool supporters, it took me a day or two to gain some perspective following the disappointing loss to Arsenal. However, the reality remains that only one team left the Emirates with full control over their title destiny, and unfortunately, it wasn’t Mikel Arteta’s side.

The defeat complicated matters for Liverpool, as Jürgen Klopp now finds himself in a position where he’ll likely need a win against Manchester City at Anfield next month to maintain control over his team’s fate. Nonetheless, the fundamental objective remains unchanged: win every game, and Klopp will guide his team to the Premier League title.

Both Liverpool and Manchester City, based on past experiences, will likely operate under the assumption that the other won’t drop any more points.

Klopp wouldn’t want his players relying on external favors when they still have the opportunity to clinch the title on their own merit. Despite this, I couldn’t resist tuning in as Pep Guardiola’s side faced Brentford, hoping for some assistance.

In many respects, it followed the same familiar pattern. As a Liverpool fan, there’s always that glimmer of hope that can be both exhilarating and crushing. I allowed myself to feel a sense of anticipation when Neal Maupay scored to put Brentford in front, only to see the visiting team ultimately secure a 3-1 victory.

However, Manchester City has been increasingly providing these moments of hope. Their consistent winning streak seems almost second nature at this point, with victory becoming almost expected. Yet, unlike previous seasons, it’s becoming more challenging to envision them finishing the season without any setbacks.

For the first time in several months, Manchester City was able to field Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne together after their extended injury layoffs. Guardiola also included Phil Foden and Julián Álvarez, creating a lineup with immense attacking potential on paper.

Despite this, Brentford’s resilient defense managed to repel their attacks relatively easily in the first half, with Manchester City resorting mainly to long-range shots. T

he pressure finally paid off just before halftime when a mishandled clearance from Ethan Pinnock led to an equalizing goal for Foden, yet Manchester City struggled to create clear chances on their own.

Before that, Brentford had opportunities to extend their lead, particularly from a series of threatening first-half corners. Following halftime, Manchester City seized the lead through Foden, but even with a goal advantage, they appeared vulnerable and far from invincible.

Only a crucial intervention from Rúben Dias prevented Brentford from equalizing, and that was just one of several desperate defensive actions.

While Manchester City dominated possession and posed a threat of their own, they appeared vulnerable to relatively straightforward counter-attacks, only truly securing the win when Foden scored his third goal.

When Liverpool hosts Manchester City at Anfield next month, Darwin Núñez will likely see opportunities to exploit the open spaces left by City’s defense.

Brentford repeatedly capitalized on this, and as long as Virgil van Dijk and Alisson can avoid further mistakes, Guardiola’s team may struggle to find an easy path to goal.

Like any Liverpool fan, I’m not immune to the anxiety caused by Manchester City’s consistent winning streak. It’s natural to feel nervous as they rack up victories. However, a look at their recent fixtures tells an interesting story.

In their last five league matches, Manchester City defeated Brentford, Burnley, Sheffield United, and Everton by sometimes flattering two-goal margins, in addition to narrowly overcoming a struggling Newcastle side. Before that, they drew with Crystal Palace.

While they can only play the teams in front of them, the fixture list has been relatively favorable, and it would have been surprising if Guardiola’s team encountered any major obstacles during this run.

The situation changes significantly in March, with Manchester City facing Manchester United, Liverpool, Brighton, Arsenal, and Aston Villa in quick succession.

While Guardiola’s side is more than capable of securing maximum points from these matches, their recent performance against Brentford suggests that there could be more twists and turns in store this season.