‘So determined to put things right’: What 9 pundits have predicted for Liverpool’s 2023-24 prospects
Liverpool ought to be appointment viewing in 2023-24 as Jurgen Klopp’s new-look side aim to bounce back from last season’s desperately disappointing fifth-place finish.
The Reds failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2017 and will identify a top-four finish as their primary target this season. They’ve rebuilt their midfield, bringing in Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, while they continue to chase another a new face for the No.6 role.
However, they’ve lost a lot of experience in the dressing room following the departures of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner and Roberto Firmino and time will tell how this younger Liverpool side fares.
We’ve collated pre-season predictions from nine big-name pundits on how Liverpool will do this season.
Gary Neville
“I don’t look at Liverpool at the moment and think they are going to be challenging City or Arsenal for the league,” Neville said on The Overlap.
“I don’t look at United with what they’ve done so far. So unless United, Liverpool or Chelsea do something miraculous in the next few weeks in the transfer window, Arsenal for me are the only team at this moment in time and I think they could get very close to them.”
Jamie Carragher
“I think Liverpool will be in the top four,” Carragher told FourFourTwo.
“They signed Alexis Mac Allister early on. They were awful last season and were still in with a shout of the top four with two or three games to go, which I couldn’t believe, considering how poor they’d been in the middle of the season.
“It’s whether they can get back to the level they’ve been at: it’s really difficult to have the season they’ve just had, then add 25 or 30 points to get to where they were before. I’m not sure they can make that jump.
“But I certainly think they can be at the top of the pack chasing Manchester City. I actually think that Manchester United will improve, but I also think Jurgen Klopp will be so energetic and determined to put things right after how poor it was last season.
“I get the feeling that he would have loved this season to have started as early as June.”
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Danny Murphy
“I am really looking forward to seeing Alexis Mac Allister for Liverpool but losing Jordan Henderson is a blow,” the ex-Liverpool midfielder told the BBC.
“For me he still would have been the first name on the teamsheet. They will have to replace his physicality and the dynamism he brings to their midfield – the ability to press well and spot danger.
“I’d certainly expect Liverpool to do more business before the transfer window shuts but the reason I think they’ll be better and back in the top four this time is because they have got brilliant options in the forward positions.
“Having Luis Diaz fit again is like having a new player. Defensively, they do need to become more solid but I am expecting them to come out of the blocks fast.”
Chris Sutton
“Scoring goals won’t be a problem but their defence was their weakness last season. The key to them changing that is Virgil van Dijk and whether he can get his best form back. I am not sure he has ever fully recovered from his serious knee injury in October 2020.”
Martin Keown
“For Liverpool it’s about how the other players stand up to the loss to that dressing room of James Milner and Henderson,” added in the BBC predictions.
“I don’t think you can underestimate the impact there. And, where they ruled supreme with meticulous purchases by Klopp at the beginning of his tenure, you just feel a bit concerned that they’ve lost their way a little bit in the transfer market.”
Michael Owen
“Liverpool have a new-look midfield. They are also likely to continue to copy City and Arsenal (City have now moved on) by utilising a full back to fill the midfield at times,” Owen tweeted.
“Could work but I loved the old Liverpool. Pressing relentlessly from the front, creative full backs etc. I’m nervous they are moving away from something that took them to the top.”
Premier League 2023/24
Manchester City
Arsenal
Liverpool
Manchester United
Chelsea
Aston Villa
Newcastle United
Brighton
Tottenham Hotspur
Brentford
West Ham United
Everton
Nottingham Forest
Fulham
Crystal Palace
Burnley
Bournemouth
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sheffield…— Michael Owen (@themichaelowen) August 4, 2023
Robbie Savage
“I think Chelsea will finish in the top four this season ahead of Liverpool,” Savage told our sister site TEAMtalk.
“But Liverpool have recruited really well. Yes, they lost players, but the strength in depth is getting better. I’m going 2-1 for Chelsea [on the opening weekend].”
Rio Ferdinand
“I think Man United and Arsenal are the two guys I see challenging. If anyone is going to get close to them [Man City], it is going to be those two,” Ferdinand told TNT Sports, predicting that Liverpool will finish fourth – behind Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City.
Marcus Rashford as Player of the Season and Everton among the relegated teams 👀@rioferdy5 makes his Premier League predictions ✍️ pic.twitter.com/PcGVLAiL8g
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 9, 2023
Dimitar Berbatov
“Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea will be in the top four,” Berbatov wrote in his Betfair column.
“If Manchester United don’t make the top four, then it’s a terrible season. I think Arsenal will get the top four too, they need to push for the title and not settle for second place as they did last season. I’m not including Liverpool, Tottenham or Newcastle.”
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