Liverpool and Manchester United have begun their preparations for the new Premier League season.
Two of English football’s biggest clubs crave that much-wanted title, but not many can get past the brilliance of Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side.
The previous campaign was an interesting one, Liverpool returned to the Champions League, finished third and won the League Cup before Jurgen Klopp’s exit.
But Manchester United recorded an unwanted eighth-placed finish and their worst season in three decades.
Erik ten Hag saved himself by helping Manchester United to FA Cup glory and secured Europa League football – ten Hag then signed a new Manchester United deal.
But if you are looking from the outside, whose camp would you rather be in? Yes, Liverpool have the performing players, and they are in the Champions League, but Arne Slot is unproven and he isn’t a big name in the managerial game.
There will be several Manchester United fans who will back their team to now finish above their bitter rivals next season, with a certain ex-Dutch star going one better.
Wesley Sneijder thinks Manchester United will win the Premier League title before Liverpool now and that suggestion left Jeff Stelling and Gabby Agbonlahor stunned.
The former Sky Sports presenter asked ‘is he bonkers?’, before Agbonlahor made it clear and added ‘Liverpool will win the Premier League title before Manchester United’, as he told talkSPORT (08/07/24 at 7:55 am).
Liverpool and Manchester United winning the Premier League title
“They are both good coaches,” said Sneijder. “Slot did an amazing job in Holland with Feyenoord. At Manchester United, they are very confident about ten Hag because he changed his contract and he stayed longer. I think they can do a big job because they have amazing players at Man United.
On who will win the title first Man United or Liverpool: “Man United,” responded Sneijder. “They have time to build on something. The coach will stay and they are confident enough in the coach to build on something. I believe they will be stronger this season than last season.”
Stelling responded: “Well, it’s interesting. No disrespect to Wesley Sneijder. Is he bonkers?” And then Agbonlahor added: “Top, top player. But I can’t agree with that. His reason behind Man United winning the league before Liverpool were nothing. They have time? I don’t get it. I would say Liverpool will win the Premier League title before Manchester United.”
Who will finish higher? Liverpool or Manchester United?
If Klopp was still at Anfield, then the easy answer would be Liverpool, but you feel his departure probably changes things up.
Yes, the Reds battled for the title for large parts of the previous season, but the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United have proven what happens when you lose such stability.
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You feel if ten Hag and his players produce anything close to what they did last season, then they won’t finish in the top seven again, never mind above Liverpool.
But if Slot finds it difficult in his first few months, like ten Hag did, then things could become very interesting indeed.
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