Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists all the pressure will be on Manchester City when his Premier League leaders take on their title rivals in a crucial showdown at Anfield next weekend.
Rodgers’ side returned to the top of the table with a contentious 2-1 win at West Ham on Sunday that showed they can cope with the stress of challenging for their first English league title in 24 years.
The club’s ninth successive league victory moved them two points clear of second placed Chelsea and four ahead of third placed City, who have two games in hand on the leaders.
Liverpool’s red-hot run is the best in the division since Manchester United recorded 11 consecutive victories in 2008-09 and Rodgers’ team will end their long wait to be crowned champions if they win their last five matches.
City’s visit to Anfield on Sunday will play a major role in deciding the destiny of the title, but Rodgers is convinced Liverpool should be able to play with freedom because, compared to Manuel Pellegrini’s expensively-assembled side, his players have nothing to lose.
“The pressure is on City because they have spent money. They have invested well to win the league and win the Champions League,” Rodgers said.
“They have world class players, but it’s about us as well. We have young players and there’s no pressure on them so they can just go out and play.
“In all the big games this year we have played really well. We should have won at City this season and we were leading in the home game as well.”
With a first title since the glory days of John Barnes and Ian Rush within touching distance, it would be understandable if Rodgers and his players let a little tension creep into their play, especially when they were hit by a controversial equaliser against West Ham, but they showed the desire and composure of potential champions.
Having taken the lead moments earlier through Steven Gerrard’s 44th minute penalty, Liverpool conceded in first half stoppage-time when Guy Demel bundled home after Andy Carroll clattered into Simon Mignolet with his arm, causing the Liverpool goalkeeper to drop the ball.
It was a clear foul and linesman Stuart Burt appeared to flag for the offence, but referee Anthony Taylor over-ruled him and awarded the goal.
Liverpool’s players were seething but they responded admirably and snatched the points in the 71st minute when Gerrard converted another penalty, this one another dubious decision after Adrian got to the ball before Jon Flanagan, who then tumbled over the goalkeeper’s out-stretched arm.
“We are really enjoying the situation and really enjoying our football,” Rodgers said.
“We have won nine games in a row which is incredible at this level given the young players we have got. But I never get too high after a win and too low after a defeat.
“Everyone has opinions; from the directors right the way through to fans on social media. But it’s for you guys to debate about league tables. I just focus on the performances.”
Asked about the controversial decisions, Rodgers added: “After the first goal for West Ham the referee was maybe chasing the game a bit.
“It was clearly not a goal and for the second penalty if you are the manager who got it you are pleased and if you don’t get it then you think it is contentious.”
Manager Sam Allardyce was even more frustrated with Taylor and he said: “Unfortunately we are talking about the officials and not the game. The referee made big mistakes.
“The second penalty was not a penalty. He thinks Adrian hasn’t played the ball and he has.
“He has to be 100 percent certain. He was in a bad position but gave it.
“It looked like Andy Carroll fouled the goalkeeper for our goal but we got it. We don’t want that, nobody wants that.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Watch live
The National will broadcast live from the IMF on Friday October 13 at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT) as our Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi moderates a panel on how technology can help growth in MENA.
You can find out more here
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Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
German plea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the German parliament that. Russia had erected a new wall across Europe.
"It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb" dropped on Ukraine, Zelenskyy told MPs.
Mr Zelenskyy was applauded by MPs in the Bundestag as he addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly.
"Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," he said, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
