Sergio Aguero gives ‘exciting’ Man City reason why Liverpool can’t be ruled out of Premier League title race

Former Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero has refused to rule Liverpool out of this season’s Premier League title race – insisting the Citizens’ last-gasp triumph in 2012 proves anything is possible.

Trailing arch-rivals Manchester United by eight points, Roberto Mancini’s side produced an incredible run during the final weeks of the season – including a slender 1-0 victory over the Red Devils – to snatch the title out of United’s hands with practically the final kick of the Premier League season.

Victory in Sunderland – courtesy of a goal from Wayne Rooney – seemed to be enough for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to claim a 20th league title after City fell behind to relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers. However, stoppage-time goals from Edin Dzeko and Aguero were enough to snatch the Premier League title away from United. The strike from the Argentine has since been lauded as the league’s most iconic goal given the circumstances.

Speaking to Stake.com, the Citizens’ all-time top scorer compared the lessons he learned during the 2011/12 season with the tough start Jurgen Klopp’s side have weathered this season.

He said: “If there is something that the Premier League has shown over the last few years, it is that nothing should be taken for granted. And less with a team like Liverpool, who had the misfortune of having many injured in this part of the season.

“I always give the title that we won with City in 2012 as an example. We were eight points behind United, there were few games left, we managed to come back and win the title in the last minute on goal difference. That’s what makes it such an exciting competition.”

After missing out on the Premier League title by a single point in May, Liverpool had been broadly backed to be the nearest challengers to Pep Guardiola’s side once again this term. However, that has not been the case and defeats against Nottingham Forest and Leeds United – and Arsenal and Manchester United – have seen the Reds fall to eighth in the Premier League table.

Injuries to key players have undoubtedly suppressed the momentum Klopp and his side have been able to scale together in the opening months of the campaign, with Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Ibrahima Konate and Thiago Alcantara all spending a considerable amount of time on the treatment tables at the AXA Training Centre.

Liverpool face Southampton at Anfield on Saturday afternoon in what is their final Premier League fixture until Boxing Day, as top-flight football across the World grinds to a halt to accommodate the World Cup in Qatar. Victory over the Saints will hand Klopp’s side back-to-back victories for just the third time in the league this season.