Title decider? Like the US election, it would be unwise to make premature claims, but for the EPL, Manchester City and Liverpool already look the only candidates.
As with politics, three weeks is an awful long time in football, and when Virgil van Dijk was crippled for the campaign, Liverpool’s grip on the English Premier League title slipped to their fingernails.
Everton were top and Aston Villa were the only team with a 100% record while City were in the bottom half. As for the champions, they had lost their irreplaceable colossus.
Fast forward and the early bloomers don’t look like making it past the primaries, while City and Liverpool have restored order.
This fixture has been ‘top of the bill’ in the EPL ever since Jurgen Klopp’s men emerged from the pack to chase City all the way in 2018-19.
And after a couple of early season wobbles, the Big Two already look a cut above the rest.
Convincing Champions League victories for both in midweek looked ominous for the pretenders and Liverpool’s, in particular, would have reverberated around Europe.
No one expected them to thrash Atalanta 5-0 in Bergamo in such an imperious manner while still experimenting with replacements for the mighty Dutchman and his stricken stand-in, Fabinho.
The Italians were quarter finalists in last year’s Champions League and third in Serie A, but were eviscerated by a Liverpool who looked back to the vibrancy of their victorious 2018-19 season.
The chosen centreback, Rhys Williams, was untroubled as was Nat Phillips, who got the job against West Ham at the weekend.
Their performances will make Klopp sleep easier but faced with a far more rigorous examination by City, don’t be surprised to see Jordan Henderson lining up there instead.
Thanks to having enough midfielders to swing a battleground state, Liverpool can spare the skipper for a role he’s performed only rarely but always with great discipline.
And with Thiago Alcantara and Naby Keita returning to fitness, Hendo may not have started in his normal position anyway.
Thiago pulled the strings like a virtuoso violinist in his first couple of outings, but an injury in the same game as Van Dijk, has meant the Reds have still to see the best of him.
Not risked in Italy, he could well start against City. Indeed, it was a surprise that Pep Guardiola, who took him to Bayern, didn’t bid when the Spanish playmaker left the German club, but it seems he had eyes only for Klopp.
Ironically, his game looks as if it would slot more easily into City’s passing carousel than Liverpool’s piston-pumping engine room, but Klopp was eager to bring in something different.
City will not be accustomed to facing anyone with either the range or accuracy of his passing in the Premier League and it will be fascinating to see how they cope.
The headline act in midweek was the other major signing, Diogo Jota, a surprise £41m acquisition from Wolves, whose hattrick brings his tally to seven goals in nine games.
Brought to provide cover rather than competition for the fabled front three, the Portuguese is a serious contender for a starting slot at the expense of Bobby Firmino.
His speed, eye for goal and all-round ability have been a revelation and a major reason Liverpool have so far been able to cope with the double disaster of losing two centre-backs in succession.
On the same night, Pep Guardiola also had good news. Gabriel Jesus came back with a goal in City’s 3-0 win over Olympiakos while Sergio Aguero is back in training. Either could be unleashed against whoever Klopp decides to stick in central defence.
Guardiola played safe by resting first choice centreback pairing, Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte against the Greeks and will hope their burgeoning understanding will help thwart anything the Reds’ attack can throw at them.
He will know that Liverpool have taken advantage of a relatively kind run of fixtures to freshen the side and recover their swagger.
So, he is unlikely to be panicked into one of his strangely negative formations – as he was against Lyon in the Champions League.
He will know the Reds’ rear guard has yet to be really tested, let alone face the biggest test of the season.
However, you look at it, it’s still a work in progress – something you could never say about City’s attack if all guns are blazing.
On this occasion, the Blues’ pace and intricate passing may just be enough to tip the balance, but for the title itself, it’s still too early to call.
Manchester City vs Liverpool, Monday 00.30am in Malaysia.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.