Manchester City Captain Vincent Kompany has said that Liverpool is the best side that City have had to play against all season and the fact that the Reds are up their challenging for the Premiership title is no fluke.
Speaking on the BBC’s Match of the Day the 27-year-old Belgium international said:
“They are the strongest team we have played this season.
“They have a great squad and they are not there by luck.”
City beat Southampton 4-1 at the Etihad on Saturday while Chelsea returned to the top of the league after their 3-0 win over Stoke City.
Meanwhile Liverpool travel to West Ham on Sunday knowing that a win will put them back above Chelsea.
“We have different styles but the same philosophy of trying to score goals, so I think it will be an entertaining game,” Kompany said of next weekend’s trip to Anfield.
“It’s hard to predict because so much is at stake, but we remember the game we played at the Etihad and I’m not surprised at all [that they are challenging for the title].
“Our strongest part of the season when we won the league [in 2011-12] was when we had no other competitions to play in, and Liverpool have had that this season.”
With Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho already writing off his team’s chances Kompany thinks it may be a bit premature adding: “If I was in Chelsea’s position I would still believe. It’s going to go to the wire.”
