Gary Lineker has doubled down on his prediction for Liverpool to challenge for the Premier League title – ahead of Saturday’s table-topping showdown with Manchester City.
The Reds travel to the Etihad this weekend a point and a place behind Pep Guardiola’s Treble winners and are looking for a first win in East Manchester City since the early weeks of Jurgen Klopp‘s reign in 2015.
Victory in Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off will see the Reds move to the top of the Premier League for the first time this season. Lineker believes such form in the opening 12 games gives them a “chance” of toppling City for a second time in five seasons.
Speaking on the Rest is Football Podcast, Lineker said: “I know it’s early days, but they are pushing for the title. They are doing alright. Manchester City have a few injuries at the moment, but they need a lot of injuries because they have an extraordinary squad with amazing strength in depth, but it’s not that easy to be consistently brilliant like they have been.
“I expect they will be because Pep (Guardiola) is extraordinary and what he brings out of them. Probably along with Arsenal and Spurs, Liverpool have been the team generally apart from last season that have pushed City. I think they have got a chance.”
Alan Shearer, too, was quick to agree with Lineker and believes he has been proven right in his prediction that a freshening up of the Reds’ engine room would serve Klopp’s side well this campaign.
“I think Liverpool are where I thought they would be,” added Shearer. “They are always going to score goals with the forwards that they have. (Dominik) Szoboszlai has been a great signing for them – it is exactly what they needed and how they needed to strengthen.
“I still think they might come just a little bit short defensively to go and win the title.”
