Gary Lineker believes Liverpool have the necessary experience to challenge all of the way for the Premier League title this campaign.
After eight matches played, hitting the second two-week international break, now marks a good point to reflect on results up to this point. Liverpool sit fourth, three points behind first-placed Tottenham and second-placed Arsenal. Touching distance behind them extends as far as seventh, with West Ham United trailing by three points.
It is still extremely tight at the top and too early to call, but as always in football the speculation never ends. Plenty of questions are already being asked of Liverpool and their credentials as title challengers.
To twist that old Jurgen Klopp phrase again, Lineker is not a doubter – he is a believer when it comes down to the Reds.
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Discussing the early-season contenders on Monday’s episode of The Rest is Football Podcast, Micah Richards began with his qualms about Spurs potential title push.
“I don’t think so. Only because if they get a big injury, you have to change the way they play and they don’t have the quality to come in. Whereas at Manchester City, or even Arsenal now, they have more experience of what it takes at that stage of the season….”
“And Liverpool too probably. They are right up there,” Lineker cut in. “I know they didn’t quite manage to win today but they have some good players. They seem to have bought well.”
The third and final member of the podcast, Premier League all-time top scorer Alan Shearer, wasn’t as convinced after watching Liverpool so far this season.
He added: “[I am] not sure about them defensively though. I am not changing my mind. I think it will be a two horse race between Arsenal and Manchester City. I think they might stay up there for a while, but come the end of the season I think it will be those two.”
Doubts about Liverpool will spark last season, when they fell from runners-up by one point the previous year to a comfortable fifth-placed finish outside of the Champions League spots.
The summer transfer window then saw a number of older, more experienced title-winners depart to have the club’s midfield ranks replenished with youth.
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