None of seven leading Premier League pundits have tipped Liverpool to win the title under new manager Andoni Iraola, with predictions ranging from second to fifth place. Wayne Rooney, Danny Murphy, Paul Merson, Theo Walcott, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Troy Deeney all see the Reds finishing between second and third, while Peter Crouch believes they will miss out on the top four entirely.
Iraola takes over from Arne Slot after a summer in which Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate all left on free transfers. Much of the debate among pundits has centred on whether Liverpool have adequately replaced those departures, with several pointing to the need for new signings and improved consistency.
Rooney and Murphy back third-place finish
Wayne Rooney has backed Liverpool to finish third in the Premier League this season, ahead of Manchester United. Speaking on Stick to United, he said: "You’re looking at Arsenal and Man City [for the title]. Chelsea will be a lot better this season, Tottenham will be better. You’ve got Liverpool in there as well. So it’s going to be tough... We don’t know how Man City will do without Pep Guardiola or how Liverpool will get on but I think they will be better and Chelsea will definitely be better as well as Tottenham."
Danny Murphy also predicts a third-place finish, behind Arsenal and Manchester City. "Liverpool might need a bit more time before they are challenging for the title again," he told BBC Sport. "I am also not sure whether they think they have already got enough to replace Mohamed Salah by bringing in Victor Munoz and maybe giving Rio Ngumoha a bigger role, or whether they are really going to go for Paris St-Germain’s Bradley Barcola, or someone like him, in the next few days."
Merson, Walcott, Hitzlsperger and Deeney see second
Paul Merson has tipped Liverpool for a runner-up finish behind Arsenal, provided key players stay fit. "Liverpool just need to be consistent if they are to challenge Arsenal," he wrote for Sky Sports. "Last season was so inconsistent from them. I look at their squad and I don't see them having the same depth as Arsenal. Liverpool's players would have to stay fit for them to have any chance of the title - the key players would have to play 36 or 37 games in the season."
Theo Walcott also expects second place, saying: "Liverpool are probably the hardest team to call. Iraola is an excellent manager and if Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz have big seasons, they could absolutely push Arsenal for the title." Thomas Hitzlsperger echoed that view, telling BBC Sport: "I've gone for them to finish second because I really like the way Iraola's teams play. Also, I am kind of biased here because I am really hoping Wirtz has the season now that people expected him to have last year."
Troy Deeney also picked Liverpool for second, while noting they still need reinforcements. "They are decently balanced, although I still think they need an additional left-back and an extra midfielder," he told BBC Sport. "Ultimately, they have got one X-factor - Isak. He is a top goalscorer who has got a point to prove because everyone has written him off."
Crouch predicts top-four miss
Peter Crouch is the most pessimistic, suggesting Liverpool will not crack the top four. "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," he said on That Peter Crouch Podcast. "Have they been replaced? I’m not so sure. It’ll be interesting to see Isak and Ekitike [perform] 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."
Crouch named Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea as his top four, in that order, leaving Liverpool out. The contrasting predictions highlight the uncertainty surrounding Iraola's first season at Anfield, with most pundits agreeing Liverpool will improve but will still fall short of the title.
