Jermaine Jenas thinks Aymeric Laporte’s injury could hand Liverpool the initiative in title race

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BBC pundit Jermaine Jenas believes the injury to Aymeric Laporte could put Liverpool in the driving seat for the Premier League title. Manchester City star Laporte had to be substituted before half-time and Jenas predicts that this will be a big blow for Pep Guardiola.

Manchester City beat Brighton 4-0 at the weekend. But their joy was somewhat dampened by the injury to Laporte. Before half-time, the Frenchman clashed with Adam Webster, fouling the Brighton defender and injuring himself in the process.

Laporte has now been taken to hospital and the initial outlook is concerning for Guardiola. If Laporte is ruled out for a while, Jenas predicts that Liverpool could steal a march in the title race.

Speaking on BBC show Match of the Day, Jenas said: “This is the type of injury, if it’s as bad as it looks, which shifts the title towards Anfield.”

TBR’s view

If Laporte is ruled out for a lengthy period of time, it will be a major blow for Man City. The 25-year-old plays such an important role as a ball-playing defender in Guardiola’s system.

Without Laporte, Guardiola has to look at alternative options. John Stones is still absent, meaning Kyle Walker or Fernandinho could be forced to play out of position. This could be the difference in tight matches.