“They’ll finish higher than Arsenal” – Ex-Liverpool striker makes emphatic prediction about Jurgen Klopp’s men
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore is confident that Jurgen Klopp's men will finish above Arsenal in the Premier League this season.
Both Liverpool and Arsenal have had a decent start to the campaigns in the English top flight, with their performances so far showing that they mean business this time.
The Gunners are currently second in the table, trailing north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur only on goals scored as both teams have 20 points and a goal difference of +10 after eight games. Liverpool, meanwhile, are fourth in the standings with 17 points from as many games.
Although Mikel Arteta's men currently rank higher in the table, Stan Collymore believes Jurgen Klopp's side will finish above them in the final standings. The Englishman is predicting a brilliant outing for the Reds after they strengthened their midfield during the summer transfer window.
“Liverpool still have a very new squad, especially in midfield, so it’s going to be interesting to see how some of those new names handle their first Merseyside Derby,” he said during an exclusive interview via CaughtOffside.
“I suspect they’ll come through it and continue to have another great campaign. I think if any team finishes above Jurgen Klopp’s men, they’ll be champions."
Stan Collymore believes that Liverpool will likely win the league this season or finish second in the table. According to him, only Pep Guardiola's Manchester City can beat the Reds to the title while Tottenham, like the Gunners, will finish below Jurgen Klopp's men.
“For me, Liverpool will either win the league or they’ll finish second. I think they’ll finish higher than Spurs and higher than Arsenal – the only team I see doing better than them over a 38-domestic game season is Manchester City,” he said.
What's next for Liverpool and Arsenal?
Both Arsenal and Liverpool have important fixtures in the Premier League this weekend. The Gunners are set to reignite their rivalry with London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge while Jurgen Klopp's men will host Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield. Both games will be played on Saturday.
Following that, the two clubs will get busy in Europe next week. Liverpool will lock horns with Toulouse at home in the Europa League on Thursday. Mikel Arteta's side will go head-to-head with Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
The Reds won their last European outing versus Union Saint-Gilloise 2-0 while Arsenal lost to Lens 2-1. Regardless, they'll both be eager to win next week.