Jamie Carragher has claimed Liverpool’s goalscoring record this season could give them a “slight edge” over Manchester City entering the Premier League run-in.
Both teams are involved in the Champions League semi-finals, while both are battling, with just a point between them, for the Premier League title. With five games remaining the race is as intense as it has ever been with Liverpool recovering this term after finishing 17 points behind their rivals last season.
The 2-2 draws between the teams in the two league games shows just how well the pair are matched. But former Liverpool defender Carragher believes Jurgen Klopp’s men could have the edge in terms of scoring goals.
City have gone all season without a recognised No 9. The failure to land Harry Kane has left Gabriel Jesus to fill in along with regular false nine performances from Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden.
Liverpool meanwhile have a number of attacking players who are at home in the No 9 position. That has led to the Reds’ average goals per game rate of 2.6 compared to City’s 2.4.
Jurgen Klopp’s men also have an expected goals tally (xG) of 2.62 to City’s 2.53.
Reviewing the stats on Sky Sports, Carragher said: “This is where Liverpool have the slight edge. When you look at the goals per game. Liverpool have scored 85 goals, Man City have 80.
“When you’re talking about not having a striker, the goals are still absolutely phenomenal for Man City. The xG per game shows that Liverpool still have the edge. And if you go lower to the top goalscorers, City’s is De Bruyne on 11 and Salah has 22 – there’s a big difference.
Liverpool, Man City’s run-in
“They spread the goals a bit more around the team at Man City. But those numbers show Liverpool have the big advantage in attack. The real stat that stands out to me is ‘games failed to score in’: four for Man City. For Liverpool, it is only one.
“And games where Man City have only scored one goal [seven], there have…
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