Liverpool analysis: Fans need to chill; Darwin Nunez debate; Reds to regroup vs Man City

After their hard-earned draw against Aston Villa on Wednesday night, Liverpool travel to Manchester City on Sunday hoping to put an end to their recent ‘blip’.

Eight points clear at the top of the Premier League, Liverpool will be keen to put the sword to a struggling Manchester City and silence creeping doubts over their title composure.

Sports News Blitz’s Liverpool writer (and fan) Jack Burgess calls for calm among the Anfield fanbase…

Chill the f*ck out Reds

We can be a right bunch of mood hoovers when we don’t win.

Despite what some online might have you believe, Liverpool actually extended their lead at the top of the Premier League after their 2-2 draw against Aston Villa on Wednesday night.

The gap to Arsenal is now eight points, although the Gunners do have a game in hand to be played whilst we chase an 11th League Cup against Newcastle at Wembley. Awful, I know.

With tense battles against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City for the Premier League title still fresh in the memory, such twitchiness is understandable.

But the perfectionism of years gone by will not be required this time around, so we can, and should, enjoy the ride a bit more.

A point gained at Villa Park

The xG stats will tell you that Liverpool should have been home and dry but the stains in my underpants after Donyell Malen’s stoppage-time effort creeped past the post say otherwise.

I must admit, I was surprised when the stat popped up during TNT’s coverage that the Reds had won more games at Villa Park than any other away ground.

Aside from the 6-0 Valentine’s Day thrashing in 2016, where one lucky fan got a kiss off Divock Origi, I always feel Villa Park is a tough place to go.

And Unai Emery’s current side are no pushovers on the pitch either.

Reigning champions City have lost there twice in the past two seasons, whilst the Villans have been party poopers for title rivals Arsenal in recent times too.

So remember, it may be a pair of boxers lost, but it's a point gained, even if you are reeling from those missed chances…

Nunez the scapegoat

When the ball was played across for Darwin Nunez to place the ball into an empty net on 69 minutes, the result was inevitable.

The Uruguayan has delivered this rushed effort so many times over the last few years, he could do it with his eyes closed - which, incidentally, is his preferred method of execution it seems.

The 25-year-old has now missed 51 big chances in his brief Premier League career.

Interestingly, that’s one more than his national compatriot Luis Suarez missed during his time at Anfield.

There was a time when Nunez’s career was prophesied to be as successful as the 2013/14 golden boot winner, but those discussions petered out long ago.

Nunez has received a lot of stick for it, but we all expected it - which is all the more reason to question Dominic Szoboszlai’s decision to pass it to him in the first place.

Given Nunez’s track record, Diogo Jota’s miss should disappoint the Reds more.

Usually ice cold in front of goal, the Portuguese international squandered the chance to respond perfectly to Youri Tielemans’ first-half equaliser with an appalling effort, so uncharacteristic of the forward.

In Jota’s defence, he is still coming back from injury, but elsewhere, Luis Diaz has just one goal since the turn of the year.

So whilst the glares of those panicking lay firmly in the direction of Nunez, others in Liverpool’s forward line need to step up in the coming months.

I’m willing to admit my deflections stem from the psychology of loving a flawed genius. Nunez is just flawed mind you, but that makes him even more loveable in my eyes.

In all seriousness, though, people have short memories. Nunez’s rescue job against Brentford last month more than cancels out the disappointment of his latest miss.

There is still no other player in this Liverpool team who gets the crowd going as much as the chaotic Uruguayan.

It’s a characteristic that will be handy in getting this title over the line.

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Cody Gakpo return would be a massive boost against City

In light of Liverpool’s slight concerns in front of goal, the return of Cody Gakpo would go a long way to helping Arne Slot’s men past Manchester City on Sunday.

The Dutchman is enjoying his best season with the Reds so far with 16 goals in 35 games.

Until picking up a knock against Everton, he had been looking more comfortable with every passing game on Liverpool’s left-hand side.

Liverpool are still sweating over the fitness of the 25-year-old ahead of Sunday’s clash.

As the team’s second best performing forward, his return would boost Liverpool’s chances of claiming a first victory at the Etihad in 10 years.

Liverpool to refocus against old foes

Pep Guardiola’s men are enduring their worst season under the Spaniard and sit 17 points behind table toppers Liverpool in fourth heading into Sunday’s clash.

And the Citizens have little to play for elsewhere after being dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in midweek.

Given the recent title battles between the two clubs in recent years, it seems odd that such a game will not decide whether the trophy is heading to Manchester this year.

But that doesn’t mean this game is any less important.

Whilst 99 points will not be required to claim the Premier League title this time around, the days when draws felt like defeats whilst chasing City still linger in the minds of Liverpool players as much as the fanbase.

There’s a possibility that Liverpool’s recent hiccups, if you can even call them that, might be down to the breathing space between themselves and Arsenal.

We like to do it the hard way it seems, and without City breathing down our necks every matchday, perhaps the Reds have been a little bit more wasteful than usual.

There were many times in the 18/19, 19/20 and 21/22 seasons that Liverpool seemed to thrive under the pressure posed from Pep’s men, with City’s quality helping the Reds take their game to another level.

And the animosity that has developed between the two clubs has always brought the best out of Liverpool, at Anfield anyway.

The Etihad is a different beast of course, and this City team are in a transitional period.

But the hope is that muscle memory kicks in for Liverpool against City, and the Reds regain a bit of the focus they showed earlier in the campaign as we head into the business end of the season.

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