“Even if I like how they play” - Gallas snubs Liverpool as he makes bold Premier League top four prediction
Former Premier League midfielder William Gallas has quite surprisingly left out Liverpool in his predictions for the top four this season.
He picked the three London clubs he played for, i.e., Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur, to complete the top four, with Manchester City being the champions.
The Reds finished second last season, behind Manchester City by just one point. They haven't finished outside the top four since the 2015-16 season (8th) and have even won the league in the 2019-20 season.
However, Gallas believes the departure of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich this summer could have a big negative effect on Jurgen Klopp's side. The Senegalese forward joined the Bavarians for €32 million after spending six years at Anfield. He scored 120 goals and provided 48 assists in 269 appearances for the Reds.
Welcome to #FCBayern, Sadio Mané!
While the Merseysiders signed Luis Diaz in January from Porto, Gallas believes that he won't have an impact similar to what Mane had.
When asked about his Premier League top four predictions for this season, the former French midfielder told Genting Casino:
"As an ex-London player, I have to say Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham to win the Premier League. After watching Man City, they are still strong, Liverpool will still be there. It will be difficult for the London clubs to be honest. If Chelsea does not buy the right striker, they will not finish in the top four. Arsenal will be in the top four for sure."
He added:
"Liverpool can miss out because they don't have Sadio Mane anymore and Diaz does not have the same impact. Liverpool always concede goals too, like against Fulham. Even if I like how they play, I think it will be City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham."
The Reds signed Diaz in January for a potential fee of around £42.30 million. Since then, his market value has risen to £58.50 million, solidifying his instant impact at the club. He has registered six goals and five assists in 28 matches so far for the Anfield outfit.
Could Liverpool really finish outside the Premier League top four this season?
While anything can happen in football, it is still hard to see Jurgen Klopp's side finishing outside the top four this season.
Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have strengthened their squads massively this summer, while Chelsea have done decent business as well.
However, the Reds have also made three signings, including the club-record signing of striker Darwin Nunez from Benfica for €100 million. They have also added right-back Calvin Ramsay and forward Fabio Carvalho.
We are delighted to announce the signing of @Darwinn99 from Benfica, subject to the successful granting of a work permit and international clearance 😍
#DarwinDay
Liverpool were in a race to win an unprecedented quadruple last season but ended up winning just the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.
In the Premier League table, they finished a massive 18 points above third-placed Chelsea and 21 and 23 points above Tottenham and Arsenal, respectively.
Hence, it would take a massive downfall for them to finish outside the top four. However, they started their campaign with a 2-2 draw against Fulham, while the three London clubs have all bagged victories in their opening fixtures.