Liverpool fans might be reeling from the Carabao Cup final loss to Newcastle, but they would do well to lend an ear to ex-Arsenal man Paul Merson’s words.
Known for his loyalty to Arsenal, which occasionally irks the Anfield faithful, Merson has hit the nail on the head when discussing the Reds’ title race prospects. Merson had already discounted any Arsenal title hopes in January and with his beloved Gunners now sitting a hefty 12 points adrift of Liverpool with nine games to go, his expectations for an end-of-season twist are pretty much non-existent. Hence, Merson is preaching “perspective” after a trying week for Liverpool under Arne Slot.
The sting of Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain followed by defeat to Newcastle has been tangible, prompting Merson to comment: “That was a tough week for Liverpool but let’s get it in perspective, if someone said at the start of the season Liverpool would be champions, you wouldn’t have believed them, would you?
“When you sit down in the cold light of day, if you’re a Liverpool fan or player, the Premier League is the Holy Grail. Particularly for a club like Liverpool, with a rich history in the Champions League, if you were given a choice about what silverware to claim this term? Hands down, it’s gotta be the Premier League. It’s the Holy Grail.
“They won it last time in lockdown. It wasn’t the same. Their fans weren’t there. And their fans will be there this time when they pick it up. So let’s not look shy about how great they’ve done. They’ve lost one game in the league. They’ve just had a bad week. To lose one game in the Premier League is just mind-blowing. I think everybody’s got to just get it in perspective.”
(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool’s journey continues post-international break with the Merseyside derby clash against Everton at Anfield. That is followed by an away trip to Fulham and a home fixture versus West Ham United.
The Reds are poised to secure the title, needing a mere 16 points from 27 to wrap it up. Arsenal is also yet to visit Anfield.
Liverpool.com says: Under Slot’s management, the team has maintained a stellar performance, suffering only one defeat in the league all season, placing them in prime position to lift the title in the Dutch tactician’s inaugural campaign. Merson is right: when the dust settles on the season, it will rightly be viewed as a major triumph that almost no one expected.
