Liverpool will push City all the way – Shaqiri vows title challenge

Xherdan Shaqiri is adamant Liverpool will push Manchester City all the way in a Premier League title challenge this season.

The Reds showed great potential at times during 2017-18, playing expansive, entertaining football to please the neutrals, but their defensive shortcomings ultimately contributed to only just scraping a fourth-placed finish.

However, this term they have been far more solid at the back, their five goals conceded the joint-lowest alongside City and six fewer than the next best defence.

A commendable 3-0 win at Watford on Saturday continued their unbeaten start to the season and left them with 33 points, their highest ever tally after 13 matches of a Premier League campaign.

Although they remain two points adrift of City, Shaqiri is convinced Liverpool have what it takes to dethrone the champions.

Important win today! Well done boys!   #XS23 #YNWA    @LFC pic.twitter.com/NFeHvGlRZc

— Xherdan Shaqiri (@XS_11official) November 24, 2018

“We’re going to be there until the end,” the Switzerland international told reporters. “We don’t have to look to Man City, we just have to look to ourselves.

“We just have to go from game to game and not look at where we might be at the end of the season.

“When you win games like this, you feel that you’re going to fight to the end for a lot of things. So, I think we just have to keep going, keep working hard, and keep winning.

“We are very strong at the back. Even when Joe Gomez is not playing we have Dejan Lovren, a very good player who is very good in the air and who can play football.

“We played very well defensively [against Watford] and it’s nice to have this [points] record for the club because it gives you more confidence in the next games.”