Paul Merson: What I really think about Liverpool FC this season
Paul Merson doesn't believe that Liverpool FC have been "bad champions" following their loss to Man City
Paul Merson does not believe that Liverpool FC have been “bad champions” this season following their heavy defeat by Manchester City at the weekend.
The Reds suffered a crushing blow to their title hopes on Sunday when they were beaten 4-1 by the Citizens at Anfield on Sunday evening.
Liverpool FC have struggled to find consistent form in recent weeks and they have only won two of their last five games to leave them in fourth place in the table and 10 points behind leaders Manchester City, having played a game more than Pep Guardiola’s men.
The Reds’ title ambitions this season have been dented by long-term injuries suffered by the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
Roy Keane claimed that Liverpool FC have been “bad champions” in the wake of their loss to Manchester City at the weekend.
But former Arsenal midfielder Merson does not believe that to be the case.
Writing in his column for Sky Sports, Merson said of Liverpool FC: “They’re out of the title race, let’s be honest. They’re 10 points behind and City have a game in hand.
“Even if they lost that game in hand, which would be a shock, they’ve still got to lose at least three more matches between now and the end of the season without Liverpool losing another game.
“With their full team out, you can see Liverpool knocking off 10 wins on the trot. They’ve been on runs before but without Virgil van Dijk, for all the superstars they’ve got, it’s weird how one player can completely change a team.
“They’ve got top players who are as good as anybody on their day; they’ve got two full-backs who’d virtually get into any other team and the best goalkeeper in the world.
“They’ve got Thiago, who’s won something every time he’s put a pair of boots on. He’s a winner, and yet when they lose one player, they’re a completely different team.
“In fairness, they’ve had injuries so I don’t think we can say they’ve been that bad as champions. They’ve had big injuries. I know Sergio Aguero has been out and Kevin De Bruyne has been out, but De Bruyne hasn’t really been out for long. The team is still flying as someone has stepped in. Everyone at City is full of confidence.
“My take on it would be that up until yesterday given the circumstances, to be still just about in the title race, I don’t think Liverpool have been that bad as champions.
“They’ve had three bad results, when before that they were top of the league. They were still favourites to win the title four or five weeks ago.
“They’ve taken it this far and have had a lot of injuries. In the games they’ve lost, they’ve been so disappointing. Every game they’ve lost bar the City one has been so winnable.”
Liverpool FC will attempt to get back to winning ways in the Premier League when they take on Leicester City in the top flight on Saturday.
