Alan Pardew has now suggested that Liverpool duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson wouldn’t get into the Arsenal team this season.
Pardew was comparing Liverpool’s back line to Arsenal’s after the Premier League games on Sunday and saw a clear difference.
The manager thought that both Alexander-Arnold and Robertson had mistakes in them which would ultimately make the difference.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Pardew said: “The back four and the sitting midfield player of Arsenal are way better than Liverpool’s.
“That’s why the defensive record of Arsenal at the end of the season, might be the difference for them to be champions and Liverpool not to be champions.
“Alexander-Arnold and Robertson, in full back positions, both are offensive players.
“Both have mistakes in them defensively.”
Of course, Pardew’s comments come after Robertson didn’t have his finest game in a Liverpool shirt at Brighton.
The Scot was struggling to deal with Simon Adingra at times and made a poor decision when attempting to cut off the cross for Lewis Dunk’s goal.
While Pardew thinks that Liverpool’s back line does have mistakes, he seemingly doesn’t think the same about Arsenal’s.
And that’s probably in part due to William Saliba.
The Arsenal man was imperious against Manchester City yesterday and has often been compared to the heights Virgil van Dijk has hit in the past.
Moreover, Pardew isn’t the only pundit that’s been comparing Liverpool and Arsenal in the aftermath of Sunday.
Gary Neville has also been claiming that Liverpool would have been title challengers this season if they had signed Declan Rice.
Alexis Mac Allister struggled against his old club yesterday, and highlighted Liverpool’s failure to sign a world-class defensive midfielder.
Pardew’s suggestion that Liverpool won’t be title challengers this season does perhaps feel a little harsh.
But he will be joined by many in thinking that Arsenal will be in the mix once again.
