With the International break now over and the players heading back to their club sides, we now have a clear run of games through to the end of the season for club teams.
In England, that means that we can look forward to another incredible title race between the two best teams in the country, Champions Manchester City and their main rivals once again, Liverpool.
However, it is not just in the final nine games of the Premier League season that these two teams will go head to head. Also on the horizon is a Wembley FA Cup Semifinal between the two and in addition, both teams have been drawn into opposite halves of the Champions League quarter-final and semi-final draw, which means that they could meet in the final of that competition too.
With a crucial Premier League clash between the two coming up in just a week or so, so much could well be decided over the next few weeks where the teams will meet in the league, the FA Cup and also play both legs of their Champions League quarter-final ties.
Bet365 Sport now reckon that the title race is down to two teams and with Chelsea 10 points off the pace of Liverpool in second (albeit with a game in hand), it is hard to argue with that.
The bookmaker has City as the clear 4/9 favourites to win the Premier League, with Liverpool a surprisingly long 7/4, especially given the current run of form that the Reds are on.
BET247
Bet365 Review ⊕ Min Deposit: £5 ⊕ Expiry: 30 days ⊕ Min Odds: 1/5 (1.20)
TOP30
William Hill Review » ⊕ Min £10/€10/$10 stake ⊕ Expiry: 30 days ⊕ Min Odds: 1.5
NEW BONUS
GG Poker Review » ⊕ Min Deposit: £10 ⊕ Limited period ⊕ $1 for ever $ in Rake
So with a hugely intriguing battle between the two northwest giants across multiple competitions on the cards, and with Liverpool already having won the Carabao Cup this season, could we see the two teams share all the major trophies.
Or could Liverpool win them all?
Let’s take a look at how the three competitions stand and what the chances are for both teams of completing a clean sweep of the remaining top trophies to be won over the next few weeks.
Currently, Manchester City top the Premier League table by one point having seen their at one point, 12 point gap slowly reduced by Liverpool over the last couple of months as the Reds have won all their last nine Premier League games.
City have 70 points from their 29 games played and can amass 97 points in total. Liverpool have 69 points from their 29 games played and can amass 96 points in total.
Bet365 do have City as the strong favourites to win the title despite how close the race is between the two and a good indication of why that is the case is relatively easy to see when you compare the remaining Premier League fixtures that each team has.
Premier League Title Race Remaining Fixtures
Manchester City
Liverpool
City have just one game against a top six team, and that is at home to Liverpool in a couple of weeks. Liverpool, in contrast, not only play City away, but also have home games against Manchester United and Tottenham.
The Reds also have a few tricky away games especially against Aston Villa, Newcastle and Southampton, alongside that trip to the Etihad next weekend.
Liverpool also have a local derby against Everton at Anfield on the horizon too, which is another tricky game.
So on paper, City have a big advantage in the run-in and that is why they are the short-priced favourites here, but City also have some tricky games to come against the likes of Aston Villa, West Ham, Leeds United and Wolves, as well as that key game against Liverpool.
I can see both teams dropping points on the run in and it may well be the case that the winner of the Man City v Liverpool game next weekend will be the team that goes on to lift the title.
The Champions League is the competition that may not see the two teams meet up, but if they do it will be in the final.
Before that though, City and Liverpool would have to come through the two-legged quarterfinal and semifinal ties and both would have to eliminate some stellar European teams in order to reach the final.
The draw for the Champions League quarterfinals and semifinals is as follows:
Champions League Draw
Quarter Finals
Semi Finals
If Liverpool have the tougher route in the Premier League, then Manchester City have the toughest route to reach the final of the Champions League.
City first have to negotiate a tricky tie against an awkward Atletico Madrid side and then after that, a game against Chelsea, who beat them in last year’s final, or Real Madrid lies in wait.
Liverpool’s route sees them take on Benfica in a two-legged quarterfinal tie that Jurgen Klopp’s team will be strong favourites to win. However, they then will likely face Bayern Munich in what should be an intriguing semifinal.
The Reds won a famous European Cup Semi-Final (as it was then) against Bayern in 1981, Ray Kennedy scoring an away goal late on to hand the Reds a 1-1 draw away from home after a 0-0 draw at home to qualify them on away goals.
Then a few years back, the Reds also drew 0-0 at Anfield in the first leg before beating Bayern 3-1 in Munich. The Germans have looked superb since then, but this season has shown signs of fragility at times and Liverpool would hope to capitalise on that.
For me, the odds of a City v Liverpool final here are probably around the 50/50 mark, but I think Liverpool probably has the easier route to the final of the two teams.
That said it would not surprise me if both make it to the final, one team does, or neither make it, such is the quality of this competition at the moment.
One competition where the two teams will meet is the FA Cup as they have been drawn together to meet in one of the two semifinals which take place at Wembley over the 16th and 17th April, just a week after the two teams meet in the league.
In fact, I think how that league game goes, along with how both teams do in their Champions League quarter-final ties (which both will have been played ahead of this date) will likely decide who is the team that is going to win this game.
My gut feeling is if one team wins the league encounter, then the other will likely win this game.
With Chelsea or Crystal Palace set to be waiting in the final, if Chelsea reaches the final we could have another Liverpool v Chelsea final, as in the Carabao Cup, or Man City v Chelsea final as in last year's Champions League Final (and also a possible semi-final this year too).
Seldom have we seen two teams involved in such close competition in so many competitions and it promises to be a massive few weeks for Liverpool and Manchester City fans as the two teams battle it out for domestic and European dominance.
Man City v Liverpool £5 Free Bet
Enjoy a £5 Free Bet on Man City v Liverpool with bet365
No deposit required. New & eligible UK & ROI customers only. Account must be fully verified to place the bet. Applies to single bets and Bet Builders only. Returns exclude Free Bet stake. T&Cs apply.
All contents are ©
Bet365 Bonus Code, Sports, Casino and Poker Sign up offers and News
18+ Worried about your gambling?
Gamcare - When the fun stops – STOP!
