AFP, LONDONRunaway leaders Liverpool are surging toward the Premier League title as the season reached the half-way point on Friday, but Leicester City are a surprise package, outdoing the rest of the traditional “big six” teams. LIVERPOOLIn May, Liverpool painted Madrid red as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the Champions League final to secure a sixth European Cup. That continental conquest eased the pain of being pipped to the Premier League by Manchester City and Klopp’s troops have been on a mission to recapture domestic bliss ever since. MANCHESTER CITYGiven the sky-high standards set by Manchester City over the previous two seasons, their failure to keep pace with Liverpool ranks as a disappointment for Pep Guardiola’s men. Kevin de Bruyne has been excellent and inspiration could come in the Champions League, a competition City have never won and Guardiola has not conquered since 2011 with Barcelona.
