サッカー-Liverpool ready to rise to occasion at City
By Martyn Herman
LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - If the 首相 League 含む／封じ込めるd only the 現在の 最高の，を越す six then Liverpool, not Chelsea, would be 長，率いるing for the 肩書を与える.
In nine games against those teams this season Liverpool are unbeaten and have taken an impressive 19 points which is why they will travel to third-placed Manchester City on Sunday brimming with 信用／信任.
Victory over City, which would be there sixth in seven against the Sky Blues in the league, would 推進する Liverpool above Pep Guardiola's 味方する in what has become a five-club 戦う／戦い for second, third and fourth 位置／汚点／見つけ出すs behind leaders Chelsea.
The higher calibre the 対立, the better Liverpool have played this season with 著名な victories over Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, a 二塁打 over 兵器庫 and a 狭くする home 勝利，勝つ over City who will also be deflated by their 支持する／優勝者s League loss to Monaco.
Juergen Klopp's 味方する 労働d to a 2-1 勝利，勝つ over woeful travellers Burnley last 週末, when all the 味方するs around them were in FA Cup 活動／戦闘, but former Liverpool striker John Aldridge said points not style are now the 優先.
"It was a 決定的な three points ーに関して／ーの点でs of 押し進めるing for a 支持する／優勝者s League 位置／汚点／見つけ出す," Aldridge, who won the 肩書を与える with Liverpool in 1987-88, told the club's website.
"Mentally, it was a big step 今後 for this Liverpool 味方する. I know we've played two games more than both 兵器庫 and Manchester 部隊d but I'd rather have the points on the board than fixture congestion."
Liverpool, who were neck-and-neck with City at the 最高の，を越す of the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する after 10 games of the season, are fourth with 55 points from 28 games, one いっそう少なく than City and second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, both of whom have played a game より小数の.
意味ありげに, they have a five-point cushion on 兵器庫 and six over 部隊d. What is more, Liverpool can concentrate on their final 10 games without the distractions their 最高の，を越す-four 競争相手s must 競う with.
While bookmakers have not stopped taking bets on Chelsea winning the 肩書を与える yet, a 10-point lead with 11 games to go makes them 圧倒的な favourites.
One thing is 確かな , though, two of Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, 兵器庫 and 部隊d will be shut out of the 最高の，を越す-four this season.
Tottenham can 増加する the 圧力 on City and Liverpool when they host Southampton earlier on Sunday chasing a 10th 連続した home victory in the 首相 League, although they will be without 負傷させるd 最高の，を越す scorer Harry Kane.
Manchester 部隊d, for whom the 最高の，を越す four has remained just out of reach since very 早期に in the season, are away at relegation-脅すd Middlesbrough on Sunday in their third game in six days.
Antonio Conte's Chelsea, who （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 部隊d on Monday to 始める，決める up an FA Cup 半分-final against Tottenham, are away to Stoke City on Saturday looking to open a 13-point gap.
Fifth-placed 兵器庫 begin the 週末 schedule at West Bromwich Albion - a 味方する they have never failed to 得点する／非難する／２０ against in 21 previous 首相 League 衝突／不一致s.
Three 敗北・負かすs in their last four league games, however, mean Arsene Wenger's 味方する have precious little 利ざや for error in their 追求（する），探索（する） for a 21st 連続した 最高の，を越す-four finish. (Editing by Toby Davis)
