With arguably the most anticipated game of the Premier League season fast approaching between Liverpool and Manchester City, Brian Kerr breaks down the differences he sees in this year's title race as Jurgen Klopp's side lead the way as we enter the second-half of the season.
Kerr was full of praise for the way the Anfield side have focused on themselves, telling Neil Treacy on Off the Ball: "You can't control what everyone else is doing - you can only look after your own job and Liverpool done that exceptionally well.
"I mean, 17 wins and three draws in 20 games, it's the type of stuff that we got last year with Man City, where they didn't lose a match until match-day 21 or 22 last year and they'd only had a couple of draws up until then - it's the same sort of form.
"Manchester City only dropped 14 points in the whole of last season - they got 100 points at the end of the season - 4 draws and 2 defeats and they won all the other games. It was really remarkable but, Liverpool are at that, at the moment," he added.
Liverpool have a 7 point lead heading into the clash at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday and the former Ireland boss thinks Guardiola's side have been exposed at the back more often this season.
"The picture has changed dramatically - Manchester City still have a very good points total on 47 from 20 games - that's still a remarkably good points total but they've lost three games which they didn't lose in the whole of last season in the league.
"So, they've been found out a little bit. Chelsea played very well, beat them on the counter with great goals. Crystal Palace the same, Leicester the same - brilliant goals with Manchester City exposed at the back through their adventure.
"Walker was exposed, Stones has been exposed a little bit as well - both of them left out team today [against Southampton] so there's chinks in it that other teams are getting a bit more confident that they can score goals against them and possibly win.
"Even Southampton equalised today but City showed their class then and just turned it on and got two goals before half-time."
Looking ahead to the game, Kerr said: "Liverpool have the upper hand on them at the moment. They've been so consistent...it's going to be a great match. City have to go for it and that suits Liverpool.
"Liverpool will maybe let them come on to them a little bit - I don't think they'll go gung-ho chasing it," he added.
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