'Seen it enough...' - Jamie Carragher sends Liverpool stern title race warning ahead of Man Utd clash

With Liverpool earning a late win over Sheffield United their focus now turns to Sunday afternoon where they face Manchester United at Old Trafford - and Jamie Carragher has warned Jurgen Klopp’s men to avoid history repeating itself in the run-in.

As it stands, Liverpool sit top of the league with a two-point cushion to Arsenal in second and a three-point cushion to Manchester City in third with eight games left. To acquire the league title 90 points could be enough - even if both of their rivals win all of their remaining eight games - which equates to six wins and two draws.

Carragher, writing in his column in the Telegraph, drew comparisons to the 2018/19 season in which Liverpool missed out on the league title to City on the final day. In the final run-in, Liverpool faced away days at Old Trafford and Goodison Park and they drew both. This eventually handed City the chance to emerge victorious on the final day and those two away games are potentially season defining once again. As Carragher said, ‘The size of the fixtures and all they entailed was the biggest reason why those were the only games Liverpool failed to win’ but as they can draw twice during the final eight games, it does take some of the edge off the upcoming encounters.”

However, despite their lead at the top of the table, Carragher has warned Liverpool to not let the occasion get the better of them as they face two bitter rivals as Klopp has played a combined 17 times away at Everton and United, winning just four across that time.

“Arsenal and City will be looking at Liverpool’s remaining fixtures confident that they might slip up against their fiercest rivals again. They have no fear of United or Everton failing to give everything to keep Klopp off the top. It is often said about games of Sunday’s stature that it is a mistake to play the occasion rather than the team. I disagree!

“When Liverpool play Manchester United, you must confront both otherwise you will not be ready for what might happen. To everyone connected to the clubs these games mean more. That pressure allied to the quality within the opposition has always made the United trip especially demanding, even for the greatest Liverpool teams. It does not matter how terrible one side or the other is performing in the weeks going into this game. We have seen it enough times now to understand that at home Manchester United and Liverpool always have the capacity to find an extra yard of pace, more intensity for every tackle, and more determination to guarantee they leave nothing on the pitch. “