We may have only just celebrated Bonfire Night and there are still 46 days until Christmas.

But, after a chastening defeat in the rain at the Etihad Stadium, the flame has arguably already gone out on Liverpool ’s hopes of retaining their Premier League title.

The body language of Virgil van Dijk after Nico Gonzalez’s hopeful long-range effort deflected into the net off the Liverpool captain suggested he for one is already resigned to surrendering his grip on the trophy.

After all it is rare that a team loses more than five Premier League games in a single season and goes on to be crowned champions.

In the last 15 years, only Manchester City in 2014 and 2021 have gone on to win a Premier League title having lost more than five matches in a league season - City losing six in both camp

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