Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has changed his Premier League title prediction just six weeks into the new season, now backing Manchester City after their impressive 3-0 win over Liverpool.
Speaking on The Overlap, sponsored by Sky Bet, Gerrard admitted he initially fancied Arsenal to retain the title after Mikel Arteta's side clinched a long-awaited title last season. However, after watching City's dominant display at Anfield, he has switched his allegiance.
Gerrard's verdict on Man City
'In terms of the Man City performance under Enzo Maresca yesterday, they were outstanding,' Gerrard said. 'People are talking about how it took the red card for them to go and blow Liverpool away. And they did blow Liverpool away from that moment. But they were outstanding from the first kick of the ball.'
'The game plan, tactically, how they were set up, the distances, they soaked everything up that Liverpool threw at them. And Liverpool were outstanding for an hour, they were fantastic.'
'But Manchester City never really looked ruffled or flustered. They played with maturity and experience. And this Manchester City team, in my opinion, they're ready. They're ready.'
Title prediction revealed
Gerrard added: 'They've already come to terms with Pep Guardiola moving on. The Maresca team, you can see it clearly. And they've got players in every position that are ready to win now, in my opinion. Fantastic team.'
Asked for his early Premier League title prediction, Gerrard said: 'Before a ball was kicked, I fancied Arsenal to just carry on, but now, what are we, six, seven games in… I'd put my money on Manchester City, having seen what I've seen yesterday. I'd put my money on City. They're just so strong, and then you see the bench.'
Meanwhile, Gerrard's former Liverpool teammate Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal and Man City are the only two teams capable of winning the Premier League. 'Man City fans will be delighted tonight, of course they will,' Carragher said on Sky Sports' Gary Neville podcast. 'For those supporters who love their football club, this will be one of the great days that they all look back on because they've had a party here.'
Carragher's take
Carragher added: 'But in some ways I think almost the feeling around Man City will grow even more, the more they win. Everyone was desperate for them to lose today, most of the country were, and Man City fans will defend their club, I get that.'
'But the feeling around the country will keep growing until this is sorted and this needs sorting for Man City as well, they can't keep kicking the can down the road. We need a resolution as soon as possible because we're watching a game and not sure what it actually means going forward and wondering if it even makes any difference to Man City or the title race with Arsenal.'
'They're the two best teams by a mile, we know that, and no one else is really going to compete with them for the title. We want every game to matter but right now it doesn't.'
Asked whether he puts Manchester City slightly above Arsenal at this stage of the season, Carragher said: 'I think it's hard to do that this early. But what you would say from Man City's point of view is they've gone and won at two of their toughest venues, Anfield and Old Trafford, and won in very difficult circumstances.'
'I'm a big fan of Enzo Maresca, I always have been. I remember him coming here with Chelsea in his first season when Liverpool won the league and Maresca was fantastic tactically. It was obvious he could definitely handle himself at this level. Then you think about how Chelsea beat PSG in the Club World Cup, they played the best team in the world off the park.'
'I thought it was a great appointment for Man City, they've got a top manager there. Who knows how long that will last given the situation but we've always known they've got great players.'
