Paul Merson has argued Liverpool's success in cup competitions this season has been to luck of penalty shootouts and believes the Premier League remains the most difficult trophy to win.
Liverpool remain in with a shout of the top-flight title ahead of Sunday's showdown with Wolves, though Manchester City are expected to get the better of Aston Villa to pip the Reds to glory. Regardless of whether Jurgen Klopp's side come out on top, it has been a remarkable campaign which could end with a further trophy to add to the cabinet.
Real Madrid await in the final of the Champions League on May 28, with Liverpool looking to complete a treble of honours with a win in Paris. But for all of Liverpool's success in cup competitions this term, Merson has controversially claimed City reclaiming their Premier League crown would represent a greater achievement.
Writing in his column for the Daily Star, the former Arsenal midfielder said: "Pep Guardiola is still the manager of the year if Manchester City win the title - and it's harder now than when Manchester United were doing it.
"The Premier League is the ultimate. It's 38 games in the hardest competition in the world. If you win it, you are the best. Jurgen Klopp has done an absolutely phenomenal job at Liverpool this season but if he doesn't win the league he isn't manager of the year for me.
"Don't forget Liverpool were put in a Champions League group they could have walked through, and they've won both domestic cups on penalties. They didn't win the games. If you think City should be disappointed somehow if they only win the league and Liverpool win a treble, you'd be wrong. I don't see that at all.
"I'm glad for Liverpool that they've taken the title race to the final day. To win two cup finals, be in another, and push City all the way, is amazing. It's phenomenal what they've done. But at the start of the season it's all about one thing. The Premier League. Thirty-eight games. Home and away. To be the best in the country. Don't buy into all this hype about the Champions League. That's just about egos. You could lose more games in that than you do all season in the Premier League and still win it!"
Continuing his praise for the Sky Blues, Merson added: "City can be so proud of themselves if they win another championship. That would be four titles in the last five years and that is dominant at the highest level. It goes under the radar a bit sometimes. I don't think we give them enough credit. They keep churning out titles and go deep in every other tournament too. They're exceptional."
Messiyyds
0
This man always talking irrelevant
Man City is champions😁
Messiyyds
0
Congratulations to Manchester City🏆
luoaceilm
0
EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
Man City🏆
luoaceilm
0
Manchester City are the champions!
luoaceilm
0
EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
You are so right, i agree with you, bro
Kopalnosy
0
Paul Merson you have our Respect 👏🙌
respect what?
Kopalnosy
0
stupid comment，stupid man
Kopalnosy
0
he is a joker
zopanpru
0
Merson,u r hypocrite say ur city fan radar and stop fooling urself. Still kloop,the best manager ever and no size
luoaceilm
0
Ucl is eazy to win they say… And league is the most difficult to win they say…. But what we have seen is that money can buy League… but not UCL…. Thoughts?
Are you sure you can beat Real Madrid?
luoaceilm
0
Ucl is eazy to win they say… And league is the most difficult to win they say…. But what we have seen is that money can buy League… but not UCL…. Thoughts?
easy? Are you sure,bro😂
luoaceilm
0
a stupid comment coming from a stupid man
😂
Kocmnprstu
1
w.dicha vs s.buna
Jasperwolezzy1
0
He even said Liverpool were out in a ucl group they can walk through That’s group of death to be precise And nobody expect us to walk through that group He didn’t know what’s doing him and sounds crazy
wapaeilsty
0
a stupid comment coming from a stupid man
ciyamnpty
0
if the premier league is so difficult to win than the champion league why city can't win it the premier league you can lose up to 5 and 6 games on still win it champion league lose 2 game and consider urself out of the league Merson you are just a under achiever still dreaming about a champion league medal
Liverpool_stan
0
This man is the most stupid person I've seen. Considering the money city lavishly spend on transfers, they should be in every cup finals and get to the ulc final every season.
Azmatvffvc
0
how the 14points down? you don't watch football. City always have 3games in advance if you don't know
No I was 2
GodCool
0
Paul Merson doesn't rate UCL because he hasn't won it before.
wuyclmnpz
1
Ha...ha...That man is Liverpool's enemy from the beggining he play
luoaceilm
2
Man City will win
Bocbelopsz
1
merson..you call win reaching 3cup finals and winning 2 already luck?besting city in the process and probably losing the league by a point isn't better than barely winning the league by a point after spending all dat cash including a hundred million pounds on one player dat you think cud help them win the champions league and flop..pep wud swap the premier league for the champions league any day and you being a liverpool hater not gonna change dat..ok..so give caesar his due..u r the one tryna hype city after their disastrous failure to win champions league..dont hate liverpool for dat..bout lucky..😃😃😃😃isn't city lucky not to concede a clear penalty again Everton...I guess yuh only see wat u want to see..you hater..
Bocbelopsz
0
liverpool hater Paul merson..yuh think city spending all dat money to jus win premier league..city is desperate to win champions league regardless of ur hate for liverpool..also you can lose more games in epl and still win the league as city did in season b4 last..liverpool lost only one match and city lost 3 or 4 matches so wats ur point other than a hater..city also lost 3matches so far to liverpool 2..wats ur point?u shud turn ur hate on ur team arsenal dat canr even qualify for champions league.🤣🤣🤣🤣
Sucabklrsy
0
Let me say all he wants, "He's been hurt because our team has achieved something not any team has. As a fan I'm just concerned about my team's performance and future. I hope Liverpool keep the good work going with good technical transfers and signing in the future.
FAB-KOP
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EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
Its not luck… its about Nerves…
jawceoryz
0
EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
Whoever wins the most matches wins d league, dat cannot b said of d champions league, there's no point arguing...my only problem with u guys, d media & fans is dat wen Pep ws in Spain & Germany, come to England, even my grandma can win d La Liga n Bundesliga, u can't try it in England, nw he's dominating d league & making it look like den la Liga & d German league, nw d problem is winning d champions league, it's no longer abt d EPL being hard...u can never pls people no matter what u do.
Kesdemrt
0
EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
Don't be like you don't know these things city was given false pens to draw level with intention to go past West harm United
takdlmnrsy
0
Merson and his club arsenal has never won the UCL, so who expect him to say different and he knows the city fans would agree with him.
jawceoryz
0
EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
Liverpool had same luck against Everton too B honest, so u think if City had played Villarreal instead of Madrid in d semis dey wouldn't b in d final? Or Benfica is better than Athletico?
Voak
0
EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
Tell that to the Var decisions eg against Everton luck dey everywhere but u need a different kind of level to win UCL
Santanacityzen
0
jawceoryz
0
EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
Winning d champions league comes with a bit of luck, u don't necessarily hv 2 b d best team in dat season, but winning a league, one must b d best, by facing a opponent n winning d most games
FAB-KOP
1
Ucl is eazy to win they say… And league is the most difficult to win they say…. But what we have seen is that money can buy League… but not UCL…. Thoughts?
DybalaMask21
0
EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
Epl is not better, what are you saying
Ngpksster
0
Penalty or no penalty in the end it was Liverpool who won the cups. And league is not over yet and still another final at the corner. Little but of luck is needed as well to reach at this stage and to play all the games available.
Niubekmnoz
0
- A club that had the group of Death in the Champions League group Stage. - They have only lost 3 times all 21/22 season in all competitions. - They have played more matches than any other team in Europe - Won 2 trophies and still one single point behind the ones who had the premier league and Champions League to play for since March. - How can a professional say a final leading to 2 penalty shootout is a game of luck. Everyone knows Liverpool deserved to win. Against a team that isn’t fighting for any trophy. - A team gapped with 14points and top players in Afcon, and they kept winning till now. - A team who couldn’t handle pressure for the last 5mins of a semifinal match. His points are baseless and Absolutely Ridiculous.
They think we don’t know Football🗣🐐💯🔞
jawceoryz
0
EPL is not better, but one can win cup competition with a little bit of luck, but a league title can never b won by luck
fetceimoz
0
if merson thinks epl is better than uefa chamion league, then you missed a point from your favorite managers point of view, because it has been Pep's dream to win the eurooean champions league! ok sir Mr. Merson u take pride in local league beating the Norwich, watfords of Britain while Liverpool spends time to beat top seaded teams across Europe. it surprised me to condem penalty shootouts. is it Liverpool that created that rule? if you want can you reposess all Liverpool trophies won in this way and give them to pep! am dissapointed to have an expert in football world behave like that!
nailed it 👌 👏 👍
SeniorDon
0
A group that contained Milan (2nd in Serie A last season and potential Champions now); Atletico (La Liga champions) and Porto (Portuguese Champions). And that was an easy group?
i tire for this man o
Leoiknrsuz
7
if merson thinks epl is better than uefa chamion league, then you missed a point from your favorite managers point of view, because it has been Pep's dream to win the eurooean champions league! ok sir Mr. Merson u take pride in local league beating the Norwich, watfords of Britain while Liverpool spends time to beat top seaded teams across Europe. it surprised me to condem penalty shootouts. is it Liverpool that created that rule? if you want can you reposess all Liverpool trophies won in this way and give them to pep! am dissapointed to have an expert in football world behave like that!
yooademntz
0
This crazy Paul so much jealous for the kop, I understand you anyways.
satdelpt
1
pepspending with no ucl, ucl is far harder to win than epl
kabbciostu
0
champions league is so important that if your team(no matter how good they are and how much money they spend) is not playing in it, its hard to sign certain good players. they are attracted by your team qualifying for it. DO NOT MAKE ANY MORE COMMITMENTS MERSON , PLEASE.
Kidckmnuz
0
yes you are hundred percent right boss
That's why Chelsea will continue to suffer losses till her fans begin to appreciate who are their superiors.
kabbciostu
1
this man must be on Crack.Epl has 20 teams with 4 of them are top class year in year out. Champions league is a play off of the best 4 or so teams from the top leagues in soccer. What is this merson fellow talking about? Epl is just more of a sentiment, champions league is similar to world cup with different brands of techniques and players. Champions league is the ultimate.
Kidckmnuz
0
What of the overall value of their players in terms of cost? Garduola has spent far more than Klopp, we should weigh and interpolate their trophies with its values to be able to ascertain who's the better in terms of performance.
kwashi07
0
Don't see any sense in this tirade. If City enjoys the EPL trophy more, fine. We at Liverpool value all trophies. If at City they claim they are Greater, how does that bother us? No worries.
Bapaclmno
0
how the 14points down? you don't watch football. City always have 3games in advance if you don't know
limbdklruy
0
Paul Merson, Two Gold 🏅 🏅 and maybe two Sllver medals Who is the greatest and best wishes? And don't forget he is two games to take all; and you choose One, you will Die poor Mr.
limbdklruy
0
Thanks mr. Merson. but wake up, a man who was 14points down, and is One point to the Trophy and took two areadly, is on four fainals : and I go with the Pep Guardioy,! I must be fulfilled with asleep in the football game. thanks.