AP, New York :
Two months after blowing the chance to go 10 points clear, Liverpool isn’t even top of the Premier League any more.
With nine matches to go, it is advantage Manchester City. Retaining the title is in the hands of the champions.
City is a point ahead of Liverpool thanks to its 1-0 win at Bournemouth on Saturday and Juergen Klopp’s side being held 0-0 by Everton on Sunday.
The stalemate wasn’t a blip in Liverpool’s quest to end a 29-year top-flight title drought, but the latest in a worrying trend for Klopp. His side has drawn four of its last six league matches to hand the initiative to Pep Guardiola’s City.
Blame the weather, not the players, according to Klopp.
“(A) very, very difficult game for different reasons,” Klopp told broadcaster Sky Sports. “A wild opponent and – I know people don’t like it when I say this – the wind came from all different directions, you saw that in a lot of situations.
“It didn’t help any football play, especially when the ball was in the air, which it was a lot. In a game that was difficult to control because of those things, we had I think three or four really big chances.”
It’s not only the title race that has been transformed in recent weeks. The race for third and fourth place is now looking more open.
Tottenham’s grip on third spot has been weakened, with Manchester United three points behind.
And while Chelsea remains sixth, a 2-1 victory at relegation-threatened Fulham put Maurizio Sarri’s team one point behind Arsenal and within two of United, with a game in hand.
Goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Jorginho ensured Scott Parker made a losing start as Fulham’s caretaker manager following Claudio Ranieri’s firing.
