Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool are “the strongest challengers” to Manchester City’s Premier League title hopes. Obviously.
Liverpool finished fourth last season but reached the Champions League final, losing to Real Madrid in May.
They have strengthened considerably this summer, spending more than any other side to bring in Naby Keita, Fabinho, Alisson and Xherdan Shaqiri.
Carragher feels that level of investment will see his beloved former side rise up the league. If only they could get him to return at his peak…
“Everyone’s talking about Liverpool and with good reason,” he told Sky Sports. “You look at getting to a Champions League final and having Virgil van Dijk for a full season. We’ve seen the impact he made after arriving in January. The goalkeeping situation has given everybody a massive lift.
“What happened in the Champions League final with Loris Karius, yes it was disappointing for the Liverpool supporters on the night losing that game, but we’ve all been there as players where you have a poor game. But it’s happened in a game which will, unfortunately, be remembered for a long time.
“Hopefully he will go on to be a great goalkeeper and be remembered for that but Liverpool had to make a change because I think there would be no belief in Liverpool actually, never mind winning a league but challenging for the league with the two goalkeepers they had.
“I’m not saying that on the back of the Champions League final but it’s something myself and Gary (Neville) have said so often on Monday Night Football. Simon Mignolet and Karius are good goalkeeper but not great goalkeepers.
“That’s not to say the guy they have signed is a great goalkeeper. It’s a great price – a world-record price – and when you pay that type of money you are expecting a top goalkeeper, but he will be new to the Premier League so let’s see how he adapts.
“He looks cool and calm on the ball and that’s what Klopp wants from his goalkeeper, but they were areas that had to be rectified and it looks like most of them have been. So at this moment, on paper, Liverpool do look the strongest challengers.”
Liverpool have invested £177 million ($229m) in Alisson, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri, but Danny Murphy says none of the Anfield new boys would get in Manchester City’s team.
Jurgen Klopp has been allowed to splash the cash this summer as he seeks to force the Reds into contention for the Premier League title.
Pep Guardiola has assembled a star-studded squad at the Etihad Stadium and despite an elaborate upgrade on Merseyside, Murphy considers only two Liverpool players to be good enough for City.
Former Reds midfielder Murphy told talkSPORT: “Fabinho, Keita, Alisson are all good players and they give Liverpool strength in depth and competition for places, which does increase performance, but would any of those players get in City’s team?
“[Mohamed] Salah and [Virgil] Van Dijk would get in City’s team. Other than that, probably no others [would get in].
“You can’t base your transfer policy on buying better players than City have. It is nearly impossible. You can’t buy a better player than [Kevin] De Bruyne in midfield, so you have to compete in a different way.
“What I like that Klopp has done is he has signed quality where he has needed it – the middle of the park they were lacking – there is great competition for places and he did it early.
“Shaqiri is a good one as well. That is not bad business the money they have spent there. He had a good World Cup and he will create competition for places.
“Liverpool have done really well and will bridge the gap with City.”