Liverpool tipped to equal Man City record – and then prevent Guardiola from making history

Chris Kirkland has backed former club Liverpool to equal the record for most consecutive Premier League wins before ending a 30-year championship wait.

The former England international enjoyed four seasons at Anfield and has watched their progress under Jurgen Klopp from afar in amazement.

A 30-year wait to be over? Five key things to know…

• Liverpool have won their opening eight Premier League matches in 2019/20.
• They are the only side across Europe’s top five leagues with a perfect record in their domestic league.
• Jurgen Klopp’s men have won their last 17 league games on the bounce.
• The Premier League record is 18 consecutive wins set by Man City.
• Chris Kirkland is backing his former club to match that tally and go on to win a 19th championship.

Liverpool headed into the present international break having amassed an eight-point lead over champions Manchester City who suffered a shock 2-0 defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

This has naturally raised expectations in Merseyside as the Reds are hoping to end a lengthy title drought. You have to go back to 1990 for the last time they were champions of England.

Part of their recent success is a winning run that spans into the previous season. Klopp’s men have won their last 17 league matches on the bounce since a goalless draw with Everton on March 3.

The current Premier League record is 18 set by Man City last December, and Kirkland believes Liverpool will match that feat at Old Trafford against fierce rivals Manchester United.

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“What a place to do it. You wouldn’t put it past them,” he told Sky Sports.

“Manchester United are going through a tough spell but Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] will make sure they’re up for that game.

“The fans know what that means but I expect us to go there and get a result, I just don’t think they can stop us.

“The way we go forward, the way we defend, we’re solid all over the pitch. I think we’ll get the three points.”

Kirkland feels this will be the start of something amazing. Man City are looking to become just the third team to win three English top flight titles in a row since the Second World War, joining Manchester United (twice) and Liverpool. But Kirkland believes his former side can stop this.

“I honestly do think it is,” he said. “Last year was so unlucky. People say losing by one point was devastating, I would rather have lost by one point than be 15, 16 points behind City still.

“I think with City’s injury problems they’ve got at the back, [Aymeric] Laporte is a huge miss, Vincent Kompany is a massive miss for them. At the back you can get at them.

“When we play them, if we can take points off them then all of a sudden you’re talking double figures. Can you see us losing four or five games this season? Not the way we’re playing.”