Former Manchester City fans' favourite Shaun Goater believes there is a simple explanation to the idea that there is a so-called 'bias' towards Liverpool winning the Premier League.
City manager Pep Guardiola has raised the issue of supposed favourable treatment for the Reds and complained as such last season when the two clubs were going toe-to-toe in the most-intensive title race in English top flight history.
The Spaniard complained that there was an overwhelming desire – particularly within the media – for the Premier League trophy to end up at Anfield.
Some have pointed to the number of former Liverpool players who work as pundits in the media but Goater, who played for City between 1998-2003, believes the reasons are more straight-forward.
Speaking in the Evening Standard , he said: “We all have some Liverpool fans as friends and we just don’t want to be hearing them celebrating winning the league.
“The mix of fans that I speak with probably have a sense that they don’t want Liverpool to win the league.
“That may come with the history that they’ve won the league many years ago, back in the 70s and 80s when they were rampant.
“They know how long (it’s been) and desperate they are to win the league.”
Ultimately City retained their crown last season on 98 points, just a single point ahead of Liverpool but Jurgen Klopp's men have now built-up a comfortable lead in the current campaign.
After 12 rounds of matches, the Reds – who defeated City 3-1 at Anfield in their last game – are eight points clear at the summit and some nine points ahead of the defending champions who currently sit fourth.
Goater, 49, admits that City now have their work cut out if they're to deny Liverpool their first title since 1990 and win the Premier League for the third year in a row themselves.
He said: “With the form Liverpool are in, if City were to lose, 12 points, we’re in November. We have seen teams pull it back.
“I’m really conflicted because I don’t see Liverpool losing five games. So that’s my reality.
“If City lose another game, I think they would really have to go the remainder of the season winning consecutively from that game.
“So if they lose to Chelsea for instance they would have to win every game from next week to the end of the season.
“Winning every game from when you are up front, is different to winning every game when you are chasing.
“Anybody who is not concerned has not been watching just how good the form is that Liverpool are in.”
