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News247 - Why Liverpool will not be able to stop Man City lifting the Premier League title
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The big worry I have for Liverpool going into the new Premier League season is that they were great last time out, firing on all cylinders – but they still came up just short. I know some Reds fans will say there were one or two games my old club drew that they could have won. And, of course, confidence coming into this season is extremely high on the back of the deserved Champions League final victory. But, if I’m looking at it through my analyst’s glasses – rather than those of a former player – I’d say Jurgen Klopp’s side were at 99 per cent of their capacity last season overall. And I’m just not sure they can go a percentage point better this time out. Yes, they only finished a point behind Manchester City and Pep Guardiola’s men did have a bit of a wobble. But I saw a lot of City last term and, whether they were spanking opponents or it was one of the four games they lost, I always felt they had at least another gear to go to – and I don’t know if Liverpool do. Can Klopp’s front three of Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane be better than they were last season? Is James Milner going to get better? Is Jordan Henderson going to get better? And will Virgil van Dijk have a better season than the last one? Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson? Maybe the attacking full-backs can improve, but will that be enough to surpass what City bring this year? That’s why I’m having Liverpool to hover around the same standard as last season and, if they do, it will still mean them winning a ridiculous amount of points. But, for the Reds to win the title, City will have drop a whole load of points – and I just don’t see that happening. I know they have lost Vincent Kompany, but they have added strength in depth in midfield by bringing in Rodri, and Phil Foden will make more of an impact. So they are my favourites for the title again – and this time by six points from their Merseyside rivals. I expect a battle royal between Tottenham and Chelsea in the race for the two other Champions League slots. But a lot will depend on Mauricio Pochettino and Spurs. The Argentinian’s body language in pre-season has been questionable and I wonder if the love affair with the club is going to end? I wonder if he can eke another season out of virtually the same group of players and, if he can’t, then that will be Chelsea’s gain. I know I have questioned Frank Lampard getting the Stamford Bridge job so soon, and, of course, there’s the transfer ban. But he and Jody Morris have breathed a new enthusiasm into the club, and the players look very much on the front foot and expressive in pre-season. So I will have the Blues finishing in third place above Tottenham in fourth again this season, with Manchester United and Arsenal battling for fifth and sixth again. There haven’t been enough material changes in the leadership of the team for Arsenal to be taken seriously in the league. But United could finish third, if everything was to
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