Liverpool planning title race with Man City & on HUNT for their own De Bruyne

LIVERPOOL are planning for another title race epic with Manchester City and seeking their own Kevin De Bruyne to make the difference.

Jurgen Klopp’s side won the league in 2020 but have also been pipped twice by apoint when City triumphed on the final day of the season.

The Merseysiders can go five clear with victory at Bournemouth today and striker Diogo Jota acknowledges the main threat will come from Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions.

‘I hope we can be in the discussion until the end. We know how strong City are and how strong they can be in the second lap of the league,’ said the Portuguese international.

‘We just hope we can also be there and be part of the fight again, and hopefully we are above them in the end.

‘It's hard because. Obviously we try to win each game and that's our plan. That's what we'll be trying to do against Bournemouth on Sunday.

‘But we know City are a very strong opponent and De Bruyne is a world-class player and one of the ones who can make a difference, like he did two years ago when we were in that discussion about the title until the last game. He was decisive.

But, look, we also have those kind of players and there is a long way to go until we reach those decisive moments, so we just have to focus on the next few months first to try to be there at the end.’

There is an extra onus on Jota and Klopp’s other forwards with Mo Salah absent on African Cup of Nations duty.

Jota’s return from a muscular injury is welcome. He refutes Alan Shearer’s charge that he went down too easily to win a penalty against Newcastle in Liverpool’s last Premier League game.

The Toon legend labelling him “embarrassing” but Jota responded: ‘Listen, of course I saw some comments from ex-players and people who are paid to