Alan Shearer has claimed that it’s going to be ‘really, really difficult’ for Liverpool to even secure a top-four finish this season if they suffer a defeat to Manchester City on Sunday at Anfield.
The Premier League’s all-time leading top-scorer added that he is excited at the battle that will commence between Erling Haaland and Virgil van Dijk, as he told NBC Sports (15/10/22 at 7:45 pm).
It could prove to be pivotal in how the result pans out in a few hours because Haaland is scoring every half an hour it seems, never mind after every match.
Liverpool were the last team to get something from the game and stop the goalscoring freak, who is on 15 Premier League goals already, from getting himself on the scoresheet.
But that was the opening week of the season, when the Reds beat their rivals in the Community Shield, and in truth, a lot has changed since then.
Liverpool’s form, their error-prone ways and the form of individual players have hit a few brick walls, as the Manchester City test awaits them, but Shearer had a brutal prediction as to what might happen if Liverpool’s season continues to get derailed further.
“They are going to be severely tested because of the quality Manchester City have,” said Shearer.
“But this is an opportunity for Liverpool to get their season going. They have been really poor. They have looked a yard short. They have looked tired and leggy in so many games. They had a great result in midweek.
“We know how confidence is important in football. They have to try and take that forward because, if Man City beat them, then I think it will be really, really difficult for them to get into the top four, let alone win the Championship (Premier League title).
“It looks to me, because of the workload they had last season, is that physically and mentally it has taken its toll on a lot of the players. They maybe haven’t refreshed the players as much as they would have liked and the turnover players. Get rid of a few and bring one or two more in with fresh legs.
“That battle between Van Dijk and Haaland. I am really looking forward to it.”
TIME FOR LIVERPOOL’S SEASON TO TURN?
There are so many times that questions can be asked before the serious worry starts to kick in about Liverpool’s season.
On one hand, they wouldn’t want to play the Premier League champions right now because of their quite abject form and how Pep Guardiola’s free-scoring side can rip them apart.
But, on other hand, this is probably the kick up the backside needed, and perhaps it will result in the Merseyside club producing their best, and as a result, turning their error-prone season around.
Either way, Klopp could see his team fall into the bottom five of the league with defeat, and results going against his team, on Sunday, which is pretty alarming.
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