Why do the media keep claiming Liverpool are on par with City?

noodlehair

"It's like..."
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Messages
16,638
Location
Flagg
I'm becoming increasingly confused by this. It's been going on all season and bares no relation at all to results, performances, achievements, or any other thing you would care to measure it by. It has reached a point where it just seems like some kind of weird propaganda campaign, where certain members of the press and media think that if they repeat it enough times, it'll trick people into thinking it is true...except that doesn't really work as it wont magically make the results of games change.

It's gone from being baffling gibberish to just sounding plain desperate, yet it will no doubt continue into and well beyond this weekend.

Here are some fun (boring) facts:

Liverpool's form over the last 10 games in all competitions is actually worse than Man Utd's:
Liverpool: W4 L3 D3
United: W4 L2 D4

United are apparently currently in crisis and a "laughing stock"....you have to go back to the first three games of the season for Liverpool's results to compare in any way favourably to United's at all, and their performances have done nothing to suggest it should be any different.

Meanwhile, City's form over the same period:
City: W9 L0 D1

...The draw was away at Liverpool where City were the better team and missed a last minute penalty. Then you have this:

City vs Liverpool this season in all competitions:
City: W14 L1 D2 +40 goal difference
Liverpool: W10 L3 D3 +17 goal difference

You can argue it's difficult to say one team is better than another based on them doing better over only a period of a season, but what's happened here is the media are claiming one team is as good as another, having previously not been, based on them doing WORSE over only a period of a season. Kind of like saying you are now as fast as Usain Bolt, based on the fact he used to be faster than you, but that has changed because you are now currently losing a race against him.

If you go back to the previous season, Liverpool finished 25 points behind City, and won the sum total of feck all, so there is no argument to even bother with there. In fact, using results over this period, the only differing conclusion you can reach is that it's not yet actually fair to say Liverpool are as good as or better than United or Spurs. Where as based on only this season, it is not yet fair to say they are as good as or better than Chelsea, who's results have been marginally better and who have beaten Liverpool.

Is it just me being a United fan or do our media need to massively wind their neck in when it comes to Liverpool? This seems to be a recurring theme. All last season the mantra was about how Liverpool would finish second, yet the more likely scenario was constantly the threat of them struggling to finish 4th. There were documentaries about Salah, as if he was the second coming of Jesus. A few years ago when they did well, we were all constantly told about how they were "everyone's second team" despite not a single person I knew actively routing for them.

We used to have this with Arsenal back in the Wenger vs Ferguson days, but it kind of made sense then since everyone was sick of United. Now it just seems to be based on bugger all other than out of hand bias.
 
They're probably just desperate for a title race. Somebody on the forum pointed out that there hasn't been a close one in years, it certainly makes it more boring.
 
They're probably just desperate for a title race. Somebody on the forum pointed out that there hasn't been a close one in years, it certainly makes it more boring.
This.

They were claiming we were on a par with them last season.

Hence why when we dropped a few points we were hammered.
 
It’s you being a United fan.

Until the Arsenal game they were neck to neck with City in the title race. With United falling as low as 10th place.

City are the favorites but Liverpool are up there. It’s not media bias.
 
Because humans don't like admitting their predictions are wrong, often choosing to double down on their wrong prediction and having cognitive dissonance.
 
Just saw they've won 3 of their last 9 away games, all against Cardiff etc.
I've said this since day 1. We're being told they're great more than being shown.
 
Has anyone actually claimed that apart from Pool fans and their ex-players? In terms of points they will be closer to sixth than to City by the end of the season.
 
They're 2 points behind tbf. By this time last season we were 8 behind
 
Has anyone actually claimed that apart from Pool fans and their ex-players? In terms of points they will be closer to sixth than to City by the end of the season.

Half this forum were saying that Liverpool were going to challenge City this season. But the reality is that City will walk the league again, while Liverpool fall off into the remaining pack.
 
Who's genuinely claiming that Liverpool are on par with City?
 
Mostly due to their hangover from last season and goals they scored. If it continues at this pace though they could be standing right next to us shortly.
 
It’s you being a United fan.

Until the Arsenal game they were neck to neck with City in the title race. With United falling as low as 10th place.

City are the favorites but Liverpool are up there. It’s not media bias.
What title race? We are in November.
The only similarity they have to City is it being 3 points for a win. Their performance levels have been world's apart.
 
What title race? We are in November.
The only similarity they have to City is it being 3 points for a win. Their performance levels have been world's apart.

Pray tell, when does the title race start?

Only 3 teams have differentiated themselves: City, Liverpool and Chelsea. Lots of games to play between said teams, other top teams and the rest of the league and anything can happen to any team. But for now...
 
Who's genuinely claiming that Liverpool are on par with City?

Exactly

No one with any sense should be equating Liverpool with City lol. City just got the most points in any season and improved some more - why exactly is Liverpool suddenly as good? They barely made 4th last year and added a few additional pieces, only one of which is starting regularly.
 
Pray tell, when does the title race start?

Only 3 teams have differentiated themselves: City, Liverpool and Chelsea. Lots of games to play between said teams, other top teams and the rest of the league and anything can happen to any team. But for now...
Well being a few points off City in the end of October doesn't mean you're matching them in the title race. It just means you had a good start to the season.
Its common sense. Even then their performances haven't been special at all.
 
Because they're doing well. Until it's mathematicallly impossible then they're just pushing a narrative. I don't care enough about them anymore. I mean I do, but I've got a million other things thats more important than the dippers!
 
It’s you being a United fan.

Until the Arsenal game they were neck to neck with City in the title race. With United falling as low as 10th place.

City are the favorites but Liverpool are up there. It’s not media bias.

And how many games into the season? And what about Chelsea?

The OP is absolutely right, there’s some incredible pro-Liverpool bullshit going on in England.
 
And how many games into the season? And what about Chelsea?

The OP is absolutely right, there’s some incredible pro-Liverpool bullshit going on in England.

Chelsea are up there too.

Look, anyone calling Liverpool favorites in the title race are obviously delusional. However Liverpool (and Chelsea, mind) are doing as well as a challenger to the title can expect. They're on course for over 90 points ffs. If that's not challenging (and yes, with tons of games to go), I'd like to know what is. Cause last season, we were challenging, up until the derby at Old Trafford...
 
It’s simple really, Liverpool fans and Liverpool pundits are very good at excessively hyping Liverpool which in turn has a knock on effect on the mass media. Only last weekend when Pool beat Cardiff 4-1, the pundits were on about how Liverpool are gonna push City all the way as if a 4-1 home win over Cardiff is some sort of statement.
Last season they at least played pretty good football, this year they’ve been pretty average bar the first few games of the season. Their defence has bailed them out this season massively. They don’t seem to run as much as well.
They’ll prob still finish 2nd but it’ll be nearer to 4th than 1st.
 
I've maintained since pre-season that we're not as good as Man City. I think most Liverpool fans have. City will walk the title.

But to answer your question - it might be because we're having our best ever start to a PL campaign + have made a few big signings which has slightly improved depth, although nowhere near as much as required to compete with the financially doped monster we're up against.
 
Last edited:
Liverpool fans have been doing this for two decades tbf to them
 
It’s you being a United fan.

Until the Arsenal game they were neck to neck with City in the title race. With United falling as low as 10th place.

City are the favorites but Liverpool are up there. It’s not media bias.

It's november ffs.
 
Well they are neck and neck at the top, but the bigger reason I believe is because they beat them, convincingly, on a number of occasions last season - which creates the impression that they are the only team who can match them.
 
City are definitely a level above the rest still. Think people expected City a drop off (it tends to happen because of a drop in motivation) but Guardiola is so fecking good at getting consistency out of his players. And this without De Bruyne all season pretty much. I do think that the top 6 are kind of split up into 3 tiers though. City in the top tier, Chelsea and Liverpool in the next fighting for the 2nd spot and hoping City slip up, and then United, Spurs and Arsenal battling out for the 4th spot.
 
The CL games last season is the reason I believe and that 4-3 game at Anfield. From those moments people said that Liverpool are the best team in place to challenge City and they 'showed' the league the blueprint to beat Man City. The media already created this seasons title race and were talking about Liverpool even before a ball was kicked.
 
Well they are neck and neck at the top, but the bigger reason I believe is because they beat them, convincingly, on a number of occasions last season - which creates the impression that they are the only team who can match them.

While I agree with this being the reason the media are so high on Liverpool, it's quite clearly a load of bollocks.

City beat Liverpool 5-0 early in the season, and ultimately finished three places above Liverpool, with 25 more points, and a goal difference better by 33 goals. City also won two trophies to Liverpool's zero.

It all started when Liverpool ended City's unbeaten run last season, which ignores that Liverpool's impressively comfortable 4-1 lead turned into them hanging on by the skin of their teeth for a 4-3 win, and carried on with the Champions League elimination, which ignores some controversial officiating at crucial times in both legs of the tie.

Liverpool have ground out some wins this season, which has led to talk of, "grinding out results like champions," which has ignored that City have, by and large, brushed aside almost everyone they've played.

Even last season, Liverpool finished six points and two places behind a boring, underperforming United side, and even with their fantastic, free-flowing, attacking football, managed a goal difference of just six goals better.
 
Probably because the knocked them out in the CL and are still undefeated in the league.
 
They're going off the football last season and that they're up there on points.

Them being media darlings is nothing new though.
 
It's november ffs.

Titles have been decided in December. It's not that early.

The CL games last season is the reason I believe and that 4-3 game at Anfield. From those moments people said that Liverpool are the best team in place to challenge City and they 'showed' the league the blueprint to beat Man City. The media already created this seasons title race and were talking about Liverpool even before a ball was kicked.

Good point.
 
They’re the closest form of ‘competition’ to man city in the league. We all know the league is over already but the media won’t have much to write about if they admit that. Having said that Liverpool on their day play great football but their past 10 games they have looked like United at their worst with zombie passing. Doesn’t help that Salahs dip in form this season is similar to Lukakus drastic dip
 
They’re the closest form of ‘competition’ to Man City in the league. We all know the league is over already but the media won’t have much to write about if they admit that. Having said that Liverpool on their day play great football but their past 10 games they have looked like United at their worst with zombie passing. Doesn’t help that Salahs dip in form this season is similar to Lukakus drastic dip

Chelsea not only have a better record at the moment but also knocked out Liverpool in a cup to get it.

There is more evidence for Chelsea being competition than Liverpool, which is again further evidence that Liverpool is hyped up, since many people don't even consider Chelsea.
 
Titles have been decided in December. It's not that early.



Good point.
Also the cagey 0-0 draw a few weeks with barely no chances. Both teams and managers imo are scared of each other. They were both scared to lose and this adds another dimension to it. Pep even said it in the documentary.
 
Well they are neck and neck at the top, but the bigger reason I believe is because they beat them, convincingly, on a number of occasions last season - which creates the impression that they are the only team who can match them.
Its strange because City seem to be the only top English side they can beat these days (ref bottling pen v Spurs aside)
 
While I agree with this being the reason the media are so high on Liverpool, it's quite clearly a load of bollocks.

City beat Liverpool 5-0 early in the season, and ultimately finished three places above Liverpool, with 25 more points, and a goal difference better by 33 goals. City also won two trophies to Liverpool's zero.

It all started when Liverpool ended City's unbeaten run last season, which ignores that Liverpool's impressively comfortable 4-1 lead turned into them hanging on by the skin of their teeth for a 4-3 win, and carried on with the Champions League elimination, which ignores some controversial officiating at crucial times in both legs of the tie.

Liverpool have ground out some wins this season, which has led to talk of, "grinding out results like champions," which has ignored that City have, by and large, brushed aside almost everyone they've played.

Even last season, Liverpool finished six points and two places behind a boring, underperforming United side, and even with their fantastic, free-flowing, attacking football, managed a goal difference of just six goals better.

The 5-0 defeat was following a ridiculous red card to Sadio Mané when Liverpool were very much the better side, and despite winning 4-3 at Anfield, they were hardly ‘hanging on’ in that game. City at best added some respectability with consolation late goals.

I appreciate Liverpool didn’t deliver last season, but football is to be watched Not read, and it was evident that they had the makings of a side who could take the next step.

This season, they have been right up there with City, and like them, are unbeaten in the League so far.
 
Nothing new, Liverpool are always media hype to be on par with whoever the Champion team (ignoring the special case of Leicester) is at those time.
This is their year, this is their year, this is their...

At least this time (and some few past seasons) their team looks to be more convincing. So it's a bit justified mathematically in term of pts. Still early race.