Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch has predicted the club will not finish in the top four places this season. The Reds won the Premier League in 2025 but dropped to fifth place last term.
Revamped squad and new manager
The previous summer saw an influx of new signings disrupt the stability of Arne Slot’s title-winning side. Liverpool endured a dismal campaign as the manager struggled to get the best out of his revamped squad, ultimately leading to his dismissal in May.
This summer, the Reds have subsequently appointed Andoni Iraola as Slot’s successor following his impressive work at Bournemouth. Liverpool have welcomed defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, while Spain winger Victor Munoz and Barcelona loanee Ronald Araujo have also been added to the squad.
Crouch's concerns
However, Crouch, who made 134 appearances for Liverpool, is not convinced that the club’s transfer business so far is enough to put the team back in title contention. The Reds are targeting Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola after losing Mohamed Salah, while key defenders Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate left at the end of their contracts this summer.
When discussing Liverpool’s prospects on That Peter Crouch Podcast, he said: “I’m not sure. I think the manager’s great but losing the players they’ve lost in the past couple of seasons has hurt them.
“Have they been replaced? I’m not so sure. It’ll be interesting to see Isak and Ekitike when they come back [together].
“I mean, Isak scored against Monaco. It’ll be interesting to see how they go but I don’t think they can win the league this year.”
Top four prediction
Upon ruling Liverpool out of the title race, Crouch delivered a further blow by predicting the club to miss out on a top-four place once again. He said: “Top four, I’m going to go, Arsenal to win it, City second, Man United, Chelsea.”
While Crouch does not expect Iraola to instantly transform Liverpool’s fortunes, the 45-year-old does believe the Spanish coach can be a success at Anfield. He added: “I think there’s a great manager in charge and I think a couple of windows, they’ll be challenging again.”
The club signed off pre-season with a 2-0 win over Como at Anfield, with Cody Gakpo and new arrival Jacquet getting on the scoresheet. Iraola faces a dilemma over whether to start the French defender or the more experienced Araujo alongside Virgil van Dijk for the team’s Premier League opener at Newcastle on Sunday.
