Paul Merson has issued a warning to Liverpool and insisted that the next two games could make or break the Reds’ Premier League title chances. Liverpool went five points clear at the top with a thumping 4-0 win over Bournemouth on Sunday.
Liverpool capitalized on a host of its title rivals not being in action to extend its lead, although Manchester City has a game in hand. Next up are matches in two cup competitions, against Fulham and Norwich, before a crucial double-header.
The Reds face Chelsea at Anfield on January 31 and that is followed by a trip to the Emirates to take on Arsenal on February 4 as Jürgen Klopp’s side bids to extend its unbeaten run past 14 matches. Liverpool has already beaten Arsenal in north London in the FA Cup earlier this month.
But despite its lead, Merson is cautious about Liverpool’s chances and warned those two fixtures could make or break its campaign. He told Sky Sports: “I’ve always said Liverpool will be there at the end of the season. It just has loads of forwards — five of them in fact — and they all score goals.
“You see Darwin Núñez missing loads of chances — I would rather have a forward missing loads than one who looks like he’s never going to get one. Luis Díaz, Núñez, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota— bar Mohamed Salah there’s not a lot between them. So Liverpool has always got someone and that’s a massive advantage for it.”
Merson added: “I won’t say Liverpool are title favorites though. City can just churn, churn and churn out wins. It can go 10 games without losing, easily. Look at City now, it has won eight out of their last nine matches [in all competitions].
“The difference between City, Liverpool and Arsenal is City can go for 10 wins in a row and nobody will pay any attention to it. If Liverpool and Arsenal do it, it’s a big thing. And it could all be over for Liverpool in the title race in one week. They play Chelsea at home — you have no idea which Chelsea is going to turn up.
“Chelsea can play, so that’s a hard game. Then Liverpool go Arsenal away, and if it goes like the way the FA Cup game went then Arsenal will win that game. Before you know it, it’s all over for Liverpool.”
