Wataru Endo hoping Man City point could prove key for Liverpool in title race

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo was encouraged by their performance against Manchester City and hopes the point they earned at Anfield will ultimately be important in the title race.

Pep Guardiola’s side were probably happier with the 1-1 draw even though it left them third in the table, a point behind Liverpool who were kept off top spot by Arsenal’s goal difference.

The Gunners still have to go to the Etihad Stadium and should both Liverpool and City win all their remaining games, Jurgen Klopp’s team would be crowned champions.

“Second half we had more chances than Man City so, yeah, we are disappointed about the result but we need to move forward,” Endo told the club’s official website.

“But the way we played, with how we created the chances, I think it was amazing. If we keep playing like we did, the results will come.

“At the end of the season, this one point might be important. That’s what we want to say. So, we need to keep playing like (this) and just try to win every game.”

Liverpool have history of taking the title race down to the final day against City, missing out by a point on two occasions as in 2018-19 they finished second with a record 97-point haul and in 2021-22 when they were runners up on 92.

In the first instance they won nine and drew one of their last 10 games – denied by City’s remarkable finish of 14 successive victories – and in 2022 they won all but two of their final 18 fixtures, drawing against City and Tottenham.

It appears the Reds will have to do something similar, if not better, if they are to win a second title in four years but, due to the nature of the three-horse race, no-one is quite sure what will be required.

“I don’t think I have ever been involved in a title race with three teams,” said manager Klopp, whose side are still in contention to win four trophies this season despite struggling with a host of injuries.

“Germany was usually Bayern, but in one year we (Borussia Dortmund) became champions it was Leverkusen, and here there was only one team (City) who became champions usually and we stepped in between one time.

“I literally don’t know if it changes something. We have 10 games to play, so obviously nothing is decided. There are plenty of games.

“The next one in the league is Brighton at home, traditionally it is not our favourite opponent. It is not that we think, ‘Thank God it’s Brighton’.

“That is a tough game for us. At one point we play Tottenham here, we have to go to Aston Villa.

“I would prefer to have 30 points between us and all the other teams but the realistic thing is are we really in that race from a performance point of view.

“But we need the players back. All the stories we created with the kids and stuff are wonderful, wonderful, I couldn’t be happier about that, but of course we fight for the biggest prize in football.”