Ferdinand doubles down on Liverpool stance amid Man City's "small margin" fears

Rio Ferdinand has highlighted the "small margins" that have given Manchester City the edge over Liverpool in the Premier League 's title race.

City currently hold a six-point advantage over the Reds, though Jurgen Klopp 's side have a game in hand and a trip to the Etihad to come.

The Merseysiders earned a hard-fought win over West Ham at the weekend to close the gap to three points ahead of a potentially tricky derby with Manchester United on Sunday.

However, Pep Guardiola 's side thrashed their city rivals Manchester United 4-1 to restore their advantage as the hotly-contested title race looks set to go to the wire.

Speaking ahead of City's Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday, former Red Devil Ferdinand identified the "small margins" which he believes have handed Guardiola's side the advantage over Liverpool.

"There have been small margins," Ferdinand stated. "The Everton game, City snuck through with a bit on luck, in the cup, people were saying 'they're out of form, off it' then all of a sudden, the Manchester derby.

"If that goes the other way, Liverpool are favourites.

"A lot of people are changing, saying Liverpool will be a team with momentum, but after the game at the weekend, I can't see anything but Man City getting their hands on the Premier League."

The pressure of leading the way looked to be getting to City as they fell to a surprise 3-2 defeat to Tottenham recently with last summer top target Harry Kane putting them to the sword.

In their follow-up Premier League match, Guardiola's side looked to be dropping more points, with their contest against strugglers Everton at Goodison Park heading for a stalemate.

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Phil Foden then pounced to net a late winner in a match which was marred by VAR's refusal to award the Toffees a later penalty following Rodri's handball.

After surviving the scare, City looked back to their imperious best on Sunday, making easy work of rivals United - a match considered to be one of more difficult of their remaining fixtures, on paper at least.

While Ferdinand was confident Guardiola's side would go all the way following their Manchester derby success at the weekend, the Spaniard himself was far more cautious.

Following the United triumph, Guardiola stated: "We are trying to win the Premier League with 10 games left.

"We have to make [claim] almost all the points to be champions. I have the feeling many things are going to happen until the end of the season - tight games are going to happen.

"We are six points ahead but this is a fake lead as they have one more game to play.

"My dream is to be there until the end [of the race]."

Other than their critical clash with Liverpool, an away trip to sixth-placed West Ham looks the toughest of City's remaining fixtures on paper in a relatively straight-forward run-in.

In contrast, Liverpool are still to play City, United, Arsenal and Tottenham, while also facing the small matter of a Merseyside derby at Anfield.