THERE is a sense of destiny around Liverpool, as the final act of their beloved manager Jurgen Klopp’s trophy-laden Anfield reign plays out, but this weekend, the seemingly unstoppable force that is Manchester City will seek to deliver a reality check.

An intriguing three-way English Premier League (EPL) title race arrives at a potentially pivotal point, as Klopp’s table-toppers welcome reigning champions Manchester City on Sunday (Mar 10). The match kicks off at 11.45 pm Singapore time, with first place at stake and games fast running out.

A Liverpool victory would move them four points clear of the Citizens with just 10 games left, and potentially two points clear of third-placed Arsenal, who host Brentford on Saturday knowing that victory would put them provisionally on top of the standings.

Should Manchester City, whose 20-game unbeaten run in all competitions is giving them a familiar air of invincibility, win on the road, they will be firm favourites to go on and claim a record fourth successive league title and stay on course for an unprecedented “double treble” of trophies.

A draw, as happened at the Etihad Stadium earlier in the season, could leave Arsenal in the driving seat.

It would be a stretch to describe Sunday’s encounter as a “title decider”, as each of the three teams involved face numerous hurdles down the final stretch. But pundits admit that this clash and Arsenal’s game against Manchester City on Mar 31 will be crucial.

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“Liverpool and Arsenal both play Manchester City in the next few weeks, and they can’t look upon anyone else to help them,” said Gary Neville, a former defender with Manchester United who won multiple EPL titles during his career. “They have to go and win.”

Final duel

In what will likely be the very last EPL meeting between Klopp and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, this match will make for compulsive viewing. The two managers’ 29-match rivalry began in Germany’s Bundesliga, and has continued in England. Sunday’s duel will be the 16th between them in England’s top division.

With Manchester City, Guardiola has got the better of Klopp five times with the German enjoying four victories, although Liverpool have won only one of the last eight league meetings between them.

The way Klopp has overcome a lengthy injury list since the turn of the year, delivered a Carabao Cup final victory and kept Liverpool on course in the EPL, FA Cup and Europa League has conjured thoughts of a magical Merseyside farewell.

Liverpool will be boosted by the return of Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah this weekend, while Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Darwin Nunez are all back in action after injuries. The Reds are also in buoyant mood after demolishing Sparta Prague 5-1 in the Europa League on Thursday.

Apart from the sidelined England midfielder Jack Grealish, Manchester City do not have many injury worries, with both Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland fully firing again after spells in the treatment room.

Haaland was again on target in his team’s comfortable 3-1 victory over Copenhagen as they reached the Uefa Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday to stay on course for a repeat of last season’s treble.

Gunners on the prowl

With so much focus on the match at Anfield, an in-form Arsenal can steal a march on their two title rivals by beating a struggling Brentford at home on Saturday.

Unlike last season, when Mikel Arteta’s side were beginning to falter as they went toe-to-toe with Manchester City in the title race, Arsenal are showing no sign of buckling this time.

The Gunners have won seven successive league matches and scored an amazing 31 goals in the process, including 6-0 defeats of West Ham United and Sheffield United and an impressive 3-1 defeat of Liverpool.

The battle to finish in the top four also heats up this weekend with fourth-placed Aston Villa hosting fifth-ranked Tottenham Hotspur in a tasty Sunday appetiser.

The weekend action will be bookended by two clubs whose managers are again under intense pressure.

Erik ten Hag’s sixth-placed Manchester United face relegation-threatened Everton at Old Trafford in Saturday’s early kick-off, hoping to bounce back from consecutive league defeats to Fulham and Manchester City.

Over in London, Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea – languishing in 11th – host Newcastle United on Monday night in a game that neither side can afford to lose. REUTERS