Alan Shearer on Liverpool’s Premier League chances
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Shearer on Liverpool’s Premier League chances
Ahead of their Saturday teatime game at Crystal Palace, Coral football ambassador Alan Shearer spoke exclusively to us about Liverpool’s Premier League chances.
One of three top-flight teams on 20 points after nine games, the Anfield outfit are now on a 10-match unbeaten run in all competitions going into their trip to Selhurst Park.
What has Shearer made of the Reds so far? Read on as Alan reveals all in his latest blog…
“Liverpool have got as good a chance as any team of winning the Premier League”
Liverpool have got as good a chance as any team of winning the Premier League and that includes Manchester City. I must admit that they’ve played even better than I thought they would at this stage of the season. That said, like all the teams in the hunt for the title, they do still have issues, particularly defensively.
They have conceded a lot of goals from set pieces. But going forward they are razor sharp. They score a lot of goals, they play to a high tempo, and when they’ve played in the big games they’ve turned it on and performed really well. Yes, they were shut out by Manchester United but it took two brilliant saves from David De Gea to do it.
They have so many exciting players in their front line. Sturridge can’t get a regular starting position but that’s a positive for Liverpool because it shows how many attacking options they have with the likes of Firmino, Mane and Coutinho all playing ahead of him. They are looking so good at the moment. I do think they will be serious challengers for the title and as we have said before, it will help them having no European football.
I have been really impressed with Jurgen Klopp too. I like the way he operates. His team mirrors him. He’s passionate, he’s exciting, and you can see that on the touchline, and his teams pick up on that and play with the same energy.
“Can Liverpool sustain that high tempo, pressing style for 38 games?”
He has a feel-good factor about him and you can see that his players enjoy playing for him, and playing in the style that he wants. He will upset one or two managers with his touchline antics along the way but that won’t worry him at all. He has an aura about him, and seems to have created a really good team spirit and bond with his players.
The one concern I have is whether they can sustain that high tempo, pressing style, for thirty eight games of a Premier League season, even without European football. It is extremely difficult, and come March, or April, that will be the test for the players and the depth of the squad, and the time to see whether they do start to tire and pick up injuries.
Liverpool will know what they need to do against Crystal Palace on Saturday, and that is stop crosses coming into the box. They know Benteke’s strengths and they will want to stop the service to him.
I am sure Benteke will fancy his chances against the Liverpool back four and the keeper, if he gets the right balls played in to him. I’m hoping for a really good game, it’s always a good atmosphere at Palace and hopefully there will be plenty of goals to talk about on Match of The Day on Saturday.
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Alan’s archive is well worth visiting for all of his thoughts on the big topics in football today.
