Jordan Henderson says Liverpool have proved they are more than a match for the Premier League's top sides and only consistency is now holding them back.
Jurgen Klopp's side held title contenders Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-1 draw on Saturday, and Henderson, the captain of the team, said: "A lack of consistency has been our biggest downfall.
“We’ve produced some top-class performances in certain games and got some great results but in others we haven’t been at that level and we’ve paid the price.”
DE BRUYNE TO BE EASED BACK IN
Manuel Pellegrini has insisted that fit-again Kevin de Bruyne is not an automatic selection for Manchester City’s Uefa Champions League quarter-final first leg at Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
De Bruyne had been out injured since January, but scored in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Bournemouth, and Pellegrini said: “There wouldn’t be any risk to play him again so soon, because it was not a muscle injury.
“We’ve seen the way he played at Bournemouth and now we have to see how he recovers.”
BILIC FRUSTRATED BY SENDINGS OFF
Slaven Bilic will not appeal against Cheikhou Kouyate’s controversial red card in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace. The West Ham manager said Kouyate’s challenge on Palace substitute Dwight Gayle was not even worthy of a yellow card.
“Will we appeal? I am fed up with appealing,” Bilic said of the decision that will ban Kouyate from next weekend’s game against Arsenal.
“But make no mistake, I am very disappointed. This is the fourth time that this has happened. But we will go on fighting until the end of the season.”
GABRIEL BELIEVES ARSENAL IN HUNT
Arsenal have regained the confidence they need to overhaul both Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur and win the Premier League, according to defender Gabriel.
They remain 10 points off leaders Leicester, but were convincing 4-0 winners over Watford on Saturday. “We’ve regained our confidence once again,” Gabriel said of the Watford result.
“We’re also hoping for some fault on Leicester and Tottenham’s part and if we carry on the way that we have been lately, that we can definitely win the league.”
LATE WIN DELIGHTS NORWICH’S KLOSE
Timm Klose hopes Norwich City’s luck has turned after Saturday’s 3-2 win over Newcastle edged them closer to Premier League survival.
Martin Olsson’s stoppage-time strike secured back-to-back victories and moved them four points clear of the relegation zone. “Some games before we’ve not had luck on our side,” Klose said.
“This time we did, and it felt fantastic to win the game and I’m very happy at the moment. We’ve got more big games coming up though. We want to take points from those as well.”
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