Burnley vs. Liverpool: EPL needs this Win more than the Reds

Arsenal, Liverpool are all in for the hugely elusive premier league trophy; silverware that has in recent times, become the property of Manchester City –the acclaimed bullies of the English First Division.

To show how much of a bully Pep Guardiola’s City have risen to become, they no longer challenge for the title like every other team does.

Instead, they give their so-called title rivals the head start then watch them crumble by themselves before the actual race begins.

Debatable sentiments can be held to argue this notion, but premier league fans will secretly admit the last 5 or 6 years have rather become an embarrassment for the integrity of the premier league than it has been an actual competition.

The English League is well loved and has amassed viewership due to the fact that it has built its narrative on its competitive nature, but lately, that narrative is slowly becoming a ridicule.

The so called top sides have failed to contend the growing influence Manchester City is building on the league, instead comfortable in just scooping for the Champions League spot than mount a serious challenge for the league, assuming they don’t fall into mid-table.

The last 5 seasons have given us generic ends to the premier league; Manchester City coming on top, and by accounts needing to do little to even get there.

Arguments can be made of how Liverpool twice put up the challenge against them, or how Arsenal last season unexpectedly led a title challenge.

However, the truth is the reality that is always there to see at the end; neither side took the advantage they had to beat City to the top or remain at the top.

This season offers a similar picture reminiscent of the last 5 seasons as fans are about witnessing a similar scenario unfold. Manchester City have not started the season in a highly dominant form, and currently sit 4th in the league table with just 6 points behind top spot with a game in hand.

Manchester City, as we have all come to know, have fought their way back on much tougher odds.

Liverpool, Arsenal on the other hand, had the chance to build their points tally to even better odds when both sides faced each other last weekend at Anfield.

But instead of the two fighting to get the win, they fought out a 1-1 draw to gift City the advantage.

In fact, it can be argued that the draw was more of a win for Pep Guardiola as it was a loss for Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp.

And as ironic as it sounds, the mid-week games could give Pep Guardiola yet another chance to walk back into the top of the league if either Arsenal or Liverpool fail to gain maximum points from their respective opponents again.

Arsenal take on fellow London side, West Ham at the Emirates, and Liverpool travel away to the Turf Moor to face a Vincent Kompany side who the Reds will remember so well for killing their chance of a first premier league title in 30 years in the 2018/19 season after netting the winner for Manchester City in the 89th minute against Leicester City.

A battle of familiar faces for both teams, and for the premier league’s glory, the EPL will be hoping both teams can come out on top or risk the highly competitive premier league becoming nothing but a ridicule.