Crouch: Manchester City will be Invincible if Liverpool cannot stop them

In his column for the 'Daily Mail', Peter Crouch declared that 'The more I watch Manchester City, the more I believe they will emulate Arsenal’s Invincibles.'

A bold statement considering that after 10 Premier League matches, there are still two other sides with an identical record to the 'Citizens'; Liverpool and Chelsea sit behind City on goal difference after remaining unbeaten in 10 matches at the start of the current campaign. 

However former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch is adamant that Manchester City have a team that could emulate the unbeaten season recorded by Arsenal in 2004, who were in Crouch's opinion, the best team he had the pleasure to play against. 

Crouch pointed at Manchester City's away win at Wembley against Tottenham, as a marker that they have improved on the impeccable record breaking 100 point campaign that they produced last season. 

According to Crouch, City limited the effectiveness of their hosts, stating: 'Tottenham were never really given the slightest opportunity to turn up the pressure. They had a couple of promising moments — the kind that City were vulnerable to last season — but this time City just closed the game out with ruthless efficiency.'

The striker was keen to highlight that he was not choosing sides on the debate, but insists that the statistics show that City could usurp Arsenal's invincibles as the best ever, saying: 'This is where they are different to the Arsenal squad of 2003-04. I am not trying to say one is better than the other, I’m merely pointing out that Arsenal had 12 draws that year and I don’t see City having another 10 assignments where they are going to drop points. They don’t have a weakness.'

It is true, City have bar far improved their defensive record this season; yes they are still sensational in the striking department, but they are now imperious at the back too.  City have recorded 7 clean sheets out of 10 matches played so far this campaign, only conceding one goal apiece in the games that they have conceded, although these matches still ended in victory. 

Perhaps more impressive is the next statistic: City have played Arsenal, Liverpool ,Chelsea and Tottenham this season without conceding a solitary goal.

The Champions have faced all major rivals to their crown without conceding so much as a clear chance on target; last season this area would have been their undoing in such tight top of the table encounters, but alas they falter in this department no more.

Crouch also believes that City are only going to get better, explaining, 'You associate title winners with having a period when they have to chisel out draws but it just feels at the minute that City are going to steamroller the vast majority of the teams they face. What also makes me think they will go unbeaten is the strength they have in depth. I know Kevin De Bruyne is facing up to six weeks on the sidelines — they will, of course, miss someone of that ability — but when Pep Guardiola can afford to leave Leroy Sane out, it shows where they are.'

The former Liverpool man turned is attention to City's debated closests challengers this season, stating: 'I hope Liverpool can make a proper race of it. They are a fabulous team and also have the capability to go through the season unbeaten — just imagine if the fixture at the Etihad was a draw and that actually happened — but it is going to be really difficult for them to keep pace.'

However Crouch concluded by suggesting City are in for even greater things this season, writing:'At this rate, it is a certainty they will win more than one trophy but I don’t see them completing a domestic clean sweep — I don’t think that will ever be done... If they follow up their 100 points tally by going unbeaten, they will go down in history as one of the all-time greats.'

The 'Citizens' will aim to continue their unbeaten start when they host Southampton at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.