Former Liverpool star Jason McAteer believes the Reds are better equipped to handle the pressure of being in charge of the title race this term compared to last season.
At one point in the 2018/19 season, the Reds had a seven-point lead over Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola’s side eventually went on to win the league at the end of the campaign.
Liverpool have a six-point lead over the champions at this point in time and a win over Manchester City on Sunday would put them nine points clear at the top of the league table.
McAteer believes a win this weekend would definitely make Liverpool the favourites to end their three-decade-long wait for a top flight title this season.
He has insisted that they will not cede ground like last season as the former Red believes Liverpool are mentally better equipped to handle the pressure that comes with being the league leaders.
McAteer did admit that there is still a lot more football to play and he expects a clearer picture of the title race at the start of 2020.
The former midfielder said on LFC TV after Liverpool beat Genk: “What I will say is that Liverpool, I think, will handle the situation being in front by nine points a lot better than what they did last season when they got themselves ahead by seven points.
“I think they are more equipped mentally, they are stronger to deal with kind of being at the front and they have been at the front since the beginning of the season.
“They have handled it quite well.
“In that regard, I’d put them [as] firm favourites to go on and win the Premier League from a nine-point difference.
“There is a lot of football to be played in the next two months, so we will have a better picture in January.”
Liverpool have been without a league title since they last won it in 1990, but only finished a point behind Manchester City last season following a record points total.
