Jose Mourinho: Liverpool will win the league
Keane and Neville agree with ex-United boss, but Souness and Kompany won't rule out City
Jose Mourinho knows what it takes to win an English Premier League title and believes Liverpool are as good as champions - unless they suffer an injury crisis later in the season.
The Portuguese was at Anfield yesterday morning (Singapore time) watching Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-1 to open up an eight-point gap over Leicester City and Chelsea and nine over reigning champions City, reported Reuters.
"From my position, I think it's done unless something dramatic happens in terms of an injury situation that breaks the team," Mourinho, a three-time EPL title winner with Chelsea, told Sky Sports.
"I think this Liverpool team... is adapted to the quality of the players and the puzzle is complete.
"City are capable of winning seven, eight, nine in a row, but I can't see how Liverpool can lose this advantage."
Mourinho is not alone in his opinion, with several football pundits echoing similar views.
Ex-Manchester United captain Roy Keane said on Sky Sports: "I'm not a betting man, but I think it's done...
"When you look at the fixtures they've got coming up, if you're in that Liverpool dressing room, you'd be thinking, 'Bring it on'.
"They've got great momentum. Can there be injuries?
"Of course, that's part of being part of a great club."
The Irishman's former Red Devils teammate Gary Neville agreed with his assessment, suggesting Liverpool share similar qualities to the dominant United teams he was a part of.
Neville told Sky Sports: "All things point towards Liverpool being big, big favourites for the Premier League title.
"It's not because they are nine points clear of City, it's the steps they have been taking in the seasons before to move closer and closer. Eventually, they will get there and, at this moment of time, they are going to take some real stopping...
"If they get a Premier League title under their belt, they become a real power...
PAINFUL TO WATCH
"It's painful to watch because this Liverpool team have a lot of the qualities from the Manchester United teams I was part of; winning games late, that never-say-die attitude, looking desperate every single time to win the ball back, celebrating every goal like it's the last goal they will ever score."
Former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness, however, warned against writing off City.
He said on Sky Sports: "City are a proper team, and don't be writing them off. They will be back. They just played Liverpool at the wrong time today when they had big players missing."
Ex-City captain Vincent Kompany, meanwhile, warned the Reds that they are "fighting history".
He said on Sky Sports: "It's too early. You're fighting history as well.
"We spoke about the mental side of things - 30 years without winning a league title here.
"For us, it's difficult to come here to play and, for Liverpool, it will be difficult to bring this over the line because you're fighting history."
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