Ilkay Gundogan Admits Liverpool’s Lighter Fixture Load Gives Them Premier League Advantage

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan admits the team’s quadruple title chase could hand the Premier League to Liverpool.

Gundogan believes Manchester City could go on to create history this season by winning all four trophies this season – but claims Jurgen Klopp’s ability to focus on the title and the Champions League could be an advantage to the Merseysiders.

“We had an advantage of just playing Saturday, Saturday, Saturday and the week off in between,” said the midfielder. “He is in a similar situation now with Liverpool – just the Premier League and then the Champions League on top. Maybe it’s going to be an advantage for them, I don’t know. It’s nothing we can change right now.

“Our target is to go as far as possible in all the competitions. It’s very difficult, but we have the squad to be able to do that.”

City’s title challenge took a major blow with the shock defeat to Newcastle last week. But Liverpool failed to take full advantage – only drawing with Leicester City

It still leaves City playing catch-up – and Gundogan admits the champions’ title-winning know-how will have little impact on the run-in.

“I don’t believe it’s an advantage that we won last year because of the way we won,” he said. “It’s completely different. This time it is a completely new situation.

“We are still second. We have to try to put pressure on them.

“We can’t deny Liverpool also are having a great season, they have great players, they will do their best to be on that spot until the end of the season.

“It’s going to be exciting the next few weeks and exciting time for everyone. For the Premier League this competition is good.

“We have to challenge ourselves, we want to win our games to be able to say we did everything to give our best. I think it is still possible.

“We have to hope also if we want to be champions that Liverpool will struggle and lose points.