Gary Neville finally got one Liverpool prediction correct after Arne Slot’s side were knocked out of the Champions League on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.
Liverpool led 1-0 going into the second leg at Anfield but Ousmane Dembele’s strike 12 minutes in forced extra time and a penalty shoot-out, where the Reds saw both Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones miss from 12 yards.
Gianluigi Donnarumma made two fine stops, with PSG converting all of their penalties. Desire Doue bagged the winner from the spot to send PSG into the quarter-finals and denied Liverpool the chance of a memorable treble triumph.
And it proved United legend Neville correct as only on Sunday, a day after Liverpool came from behind to beat Southampton, he explained why he didn’t think they would win the Champions League and even said he wouldn’t be surprised if PSG beat them.
“Obviously the Champions League is a different story,” he said on the Gary Neville Podcast.
“That’s a one-off game. I’m not quite sure I see Liverpool winning the Champions League, you can never write them off in that competition but I don’t quite see it. It wouldn’t surprise me actually if they went out this week. PSG, I think it’s a 50-50 game. Liverpool could easily win but so could PSG. They’re a good side.”
However, Neville has been way off with other predictions related to Liverpool. When he and Jamie Carragher did their top four at the start of the season, he didn’t even include Liverpool following on from Jurgen Klopp’s departure.
Arne Slot looks set to lead Liverpool to a 20th league title. Image: Getty
Instead, he had Arsenal winning the league, with Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea completing the top four.
Neville was also unconvinced at the start of the season in September, again ruling them out as title contenders.
“They’re going to have a good season it looks like and maybe get Champions League football,” Neville said after Liverpool won at Wolves.
“I didn’t feel like I was watching title winners being honest with you. They’re well below Arsenal and City but I don’t think that’s shocking anybody.”
Naturally he’s had to change his tune after seeing how impressive Liverpool have been, with him now tipping the Merseysiders to have a 20th league title wrapped up in April.
Liverpool are 15 points clear at the top of the table after taking 70 points from 29 games, losing just one game in the Premier League.
They are looking to win a first trophy of the season on Sunday when they take on Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
