Manchester City now hold the advantage in the Premier League title race after Liverpool failed to beat Everton in the Merseyside derby.Liverpool missed out on the chance to regain their place at the top of the table following a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park, meaning Man City are now a point clear with both sides having played 29 matches.Liverpool have stuttered of late, drawing four out of their past six matches in the league, and it seems like the pressure is starting to get to Jurgen Klopp.The German blamed the wind after the match, telling Sky Sports at full-time: “The wind was coming from all directions today. It was really difficult to play any kind of football out there."Klopp could simply be trying to deflect the attention away from his players with his bizarre excuses but the fact remains that Liverpool aren’t playing well at the moment.

And with just nine league matches remaining, now is not the time for any dip in form.

The Reds tasted defeat in the league for the first time on January 3, losing 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, but Jose Mourinho believes the cracks first began to appear when Liverpool were held at home to Leicester on January 30.

Mourinho: Draw v Leicester was key

That result came just a day after Man City were beaten by Newcastle. A win for Liverpool would have extended their lead to seven points, but they had to settle for a point.

And Mourinho believes that Liverpool’s draw gave Pep Guardiola’s side the positive energy they needed to reel the Anfield club in.

“I had that little feeling when City lost a match and Liverpool drew at home. “These are the matches where you have to do it. You have to get that opportunity," he told beIN Sports.

“How many matches are City going to lose during the season? Not many, so when they lose one, you must win the next match. Liverpool lost a few opportunities.

“The extra positive energy that they should have got that day, it was City that got it.

“I remember a few social media posts on that day, even from some City players, having quite a laugh because everybody was speaking about the title going away, and then the next day Liverpool didn’t win.”

Liverpool followed the draw against Leicester up with a stalemate against West Ham, while Man City have won every game since losing 2-1 at Newcastle.

That final week in January could certainly prove pivotal in the title race.