Manchester City are on course for a 64-game season (the third most in Premier League history) while Liverpool are only set for 53… will Pep Guardiola’s players have the legs for this title sprint?
- Manchester City’s pursuit of an historic Quadruple this season continues apace
- Pep Guardiola’s side will play 64 games if they go all the way in all competitions
- Chelsea played 69 times in 2012-13, while Man United played 66 in 2008-09
- City’s title rivals Liverpool can only play maximum of 53 games this season
- So Jurgen Klopp’s team should have the fresher legs as title race reaches climax
Chelsea’s 69 games played in 2012-13 remains the record for the longest season endured by a club since the Premier League became a 38-round competition in 1995.
Behind them is the 66 played by Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United in 2008-09, when they won the title and reached the final of the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are closing in. As it stands, with them continuing to chase an unprecedented quadruple, they are on course to compete in 64 games this campaign.
Manchester City have proved absolutely relentless in their pursuit of an historic Quadruple
Pep Guardiola’s side could rack up a total of 64 matches this season if they win four trophies
Liverpool, by contrast, will only have a maximum of 53 matches in all competitions this season
Such a haul would leave them third in the list. Liverpool, on the other hand, can only rack up a maximum of 53 matches this season – the fewest of the Premier League’s big six clubs.
On Saturday afternoon, when City walk out at Wembley Stadium to face Brighton in their FA Cup semi-final, it will be their 52nd outing of the season.
By comparison, Friday night’s trip to Southampton was Liverpool’s 43rd.
The reason for that is in the FA Cup, Jurgen Klopp’s side were knocked out by Wolves in the third round. In the Carabao Cup, they likewise fell at the first fence to Chelsea.
They refuse to be budged in the race for the Premier League, however, and it was their late show at St Mary’s Stadium which saw them pass their latest test.
An energetic Mohamed Salah ran from his own half to end an eight-game goal drought and make it 2-1 in the 80th minute. Jordan Henderson then made it 3-1 in the 86th.
Mohamed Salah showed that Liverpool still have plenty in the tank at Southampton on Friday
Friday night’s win moved Liverpool back to the summit of the Premier League above Man City
Klopp’s players showed they were capable of staying in that particular Premier League contest until the bitter end. The question for City now is, with their heftier calendar, can they?
Since September 22, only Liverpool or City have sat top of the table. Friday night was the 19th time they have traded positions and you suspect there will be more twists and turns to follow.
With both in the Champions League’s quarter-finals, they have to find a balance.
A glance at City’s squad list suggests they should have enough to compete in multiple competitions across England and Europe. They have that strength in depth.
Just look at their win over Cardiff three days ago. Without Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva, City won 2-0. Guardiola made a single substitution and that was to bring on Kyle Walker for the injured Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Chelsea won the UEFA Europa League at the end of their marathon 2012-13 campaign
Man United played 66 times in 2008-09 but lost the Champions League final to Barcelona
Middlesbrough played 64 times in 2005-06 as they reached the UEFA Cup final
That victory also saw 18-year-old Phil Foden make his full Premier League debut. In doing so, the midfielder became the 21st player to start under Guardiola this season – as many as Klopp has started at Liverpool.
City are 13 games from clinching the quadruple and Guardiola is particularly desperate to follow up last season’s record-breaking Premier League triumph with a second successive title.
He will hope they have the legs for the sprint. Klopp will pray the workload takes its toll.