Are Liverpool the biggest threat to Manchester City’s Premier League crown?

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Having taken maximum points from their opening six games, Manchester City are on course to secure a fourth successive Premier League title.

Not only have Pep Guardiola’s side won each of the last three Premier League titles, but they have also won five of the previous six – underlining their dominance over the competition.

Liverpool are the only club to have prevented Man City from lifting the trophy since 2017-18, with the Merseysiders triumphing in 2019-20.

If the early stages of the 2023-24 campaign are anything to go by, Jurgen Klopp’s men look set to push City all the way once again.

With six matches in the books, second-placed Liverpool find themselves just two points shy of first-placed Man City. Klopp’s side are yet to taste defeat in the Premier League this season, picking up five wins and one draw.

When you look at the bigger picture, the Reds have now avoided defeat in each of their last 17 league outings, thanks to a strong end to the previous campaign.

This season, Liverpool (15) have scored one goal fewer than Man City (16), while the Merseysiders (5) have conceded just two goals more than the champions (3).

This suggests that Liverpool can keep pace with Guardiola’s men.

The Reds lost a number of key players during the summer transfer window, parting ways with the likes of Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho. However, the club also recruited well.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have adapted seamlessly in Klopp’s midfield, while fellow newcomers Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo have also showed signs of quality.

On top of that, key performers have continued to deliver, with the evergreen Mohamed Salah bagging four goals and four assists this season.

Darwin Nunez has also impressed, notching four goals and two assists, while Luis Diaz has chipped in with three goals and one assist.

It is still early days, of course, but the early signs are promising for Liverpool. Although teams like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion have also started strong, the Reds will back themselves to be Man City’s closest challengers.

If they carry on the way they’re going, Liverpool will keep pace with the perennial champions – giving themselves an excellent chance of ending City’s recent hegemony.