Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has ignored shouts for Tottenham and Arsenal in the Premier League title conversation
Former Liverpool player Graeme Souness has claimed that the club will finish either top or as runners up this season in a big prediction ahead of the Premier League's return. The Reds started the weekend just two points off first placed Manchester City having won their last three matches following an opening day draw at Chelsea.
They managed to turn things around against both Bournemouth and Newcastle to win both games before dispatching Aston Villa before the break. It meant that Jurgen Klopp's men were level with Arsenal and Tottenham after the opening month of games and in a healthy position.
"I’ll make a bold statement about the Premier League race, which resumes today: Liverpool will finish first or second this season," he wrote in his column for the Mail Online. "I see a stronger Liverpool. Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai appear to understand the demands of playing for the club.
"Our football needs a challenge to Manchester City’s dominance and Liverpool can provide it. They are the biggest threat to Pep Guardiola winning four titles on the trot."
Roy Hodgson agrees. After narrowly seeing his Crystal Palace team lose 1-0 to Arsenal he said: "We realise we’re playing against a very good team, a well-organised team, and a team that everyone expects will be fighting for honours at the end of the season."
“It's knowing when you play these teams, they are very good teams it's hard to get anything from them," Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill said after the 5-2 mauling at Turf Moor. "Tottenham have started this season very, very well, they've recruited some really good players."
His manager Vincent Kompany had similar praise. "I've been following Ange Postecoglou for a long time. You can see his team play the same way in Japan, Celtic and now Tottenham," he said. "These managers have a very clear idea of what they want to achieve. His mentality and competitiveness is something that will eventually lead to results. I enjoy watching his teams and I'm sure Spurs fans will too."
If it is going to be Liverpool and Manchester City at the top as Souness predicts then Spurs and their north London rivals may well have a fair bit to say about it.