Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards is confident that his old side will reduce the gap between themselves and Premier League leaders Liverpool, with the latter expected to drop points between now and the end of the season to spice up the title race in the process.
City romped to a second successive title in the English top flight last season, pipping the Reds by just one point to claim the trophy following a record-breaking 100-point haul in the 2017-18 campaign.
Liverpool have flown out of the blocks this term, however, with a Champions League crown seemingly spurring on an Anfield side that are yet to taste defeat on domestic soil and sit eight points clear of second-placed Leicester at the top of the table.
Richards doesn't expect Jurgen Klopp's side to go unbeaten for the entire campaign though, and feels that luck has played its part in the Reds' incredible run so far.
“It seems everything is falling into place for Liverpool at the moment,” said Richards in an exclusive interview with Goal. “I'm not making excuses, I'm just being honest in terms of decisions, like VAR when we played them.
“But they played really well and they deserve to be there. Man City have been unlucky with injuries at the wrong time and also with suspensions, but I think it's too early to decide [who will win the league].
“Liverpool will drop points between now and the end of the season and I do believe that, come February, March time, the point deficit will be a lot smaller.”
Richards also discussed his feelings on new technology in the game and, while he feels it is a positive overall, he hopes for greater consistency across the board going forward.
“I was always in favour of VAR but now it's just... I don't know, it's just not consistent,” he said. “If it's consistent it will be better.
"I still believe it's the right thing for the game because if you go back and look into the decision you'll know it'll be beneficial for the league.
“But I think the decisions are taking too long at the moment and the referees are not always going to the monitor to have a look. It's just causing more problems than solutions. It needs a bit of tweaking but I think in the end we'll get there.”