Watch Southampton vs Liverpool live on Sky Sports from 7pm on Friday; kick-off at 8pm
Friday 5 April 2019 15:00, UK
Paul Merson has warned title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool that any mistakes they make during The Run In will be remembered forever.
City are currently one point ahead of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, although Jurgen Klopp's side could return to the summit with a win against Southampton on Friday Night Football.
Merson was involved in a close title race in 1988/89 when Arsenal pipped Liverpool to the title with victory on the final day of the season.
And he told Sky Sports: "The pressure is immense at this stage of the season because whoever makes a mistake now is going to be remembered forever.
"You miss a chance after 15 or 20 games then nobody remembers it, but everybody remembers Steven Gerrard slipping [in 2013/14 to dent Liverpool's title chances]. You can't tell me there weren't mistakes before that in the season and people missing sitters to win matches.
"This is it and everybody remembers the mistakes. It's The Run In, you are playing to win the Holy Grail of football, in my opinion, after 38 hard games.
"People don't understand. They think these two teams are just going to breeze through every fixture - it doesn't happen!
"I was fortunate enough to be in a title race and these games are gruelling. A game like this against Southampton in November is a walk in the park for Liverpool. You'd say they would turn up and win. That isn't the case now because of all the pressure."
Merse also thinks City's squad depth could give them an advantage.
"I just think Manchester City have got the squad. Liverpool beating Porto over two legs in the Champions League won't do them any favours as they have at least another two games.
"You only have to look at Manchester City the other day against Cardiff. It was a pressure game that they needed to win to go top again. They leave out David Silva, Bernardo Silva and Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero is injured. How in their wildest dreams could Liverpool do that?
"Plus they have an extra two games at least to play if they beat Porto. That is where the problem lies, will the squad be big enough?"
