Arsene Wenger, the legendary manager of Arsenal, has expressed his belief that Liverpool still have a chance to compete for the Premier League title despite suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City. The loss left Liverpool in eighth place on the table, eight points behind the league leaders, Arsenal.
Liverpool had been seen as strong contenders for the title following an impressive summer transfer window. However, their recent performance has been concerning, with five losses in their last six league matches. This poor form has resulted in them falling behind newly promoted Sunderland and their long-standing rivals, Manchester United, as they head into the November international break.
Micah Richards, a former England defender, suggested that Liverpool were out of the title race after their crushing defeat by Manchester City. However, Wenger believes it is too early to write off the Reds. He acknowledged that it is “very unlikely” that Liverpool will be able to catch up with Arsenal from their current position but emphasized that it is not yet time to rule them out entirely.
Wenger highlighted the significance of the match between Manchester City and Liverpool, stating, “It is the first very big game in the Premier League.” He noted that such games are crucial for any team aiming to win the title. “Man City vs Liverpool is always a big game, but there’s also the fact that you would not want to be in the shoes of the loser.”
He added, “Liverpool have lost four games, they lose one more, it’s five, can you still win the Premier League if you’ve lost five games by November? It’s very unlikely. It’s not a game you want to lose if you want to win the Premier League. They can still have a great season in Europe, but it’s hard to win the championship.”
When asked if Liverpool would be out of the title race if they lost to Manchester City, Wenger replied, “They are not out of the title race, they are not out of the title race because we are in November.”
Discussing Liverpool’s performance against Pep Guardiola’s side, Wenger pointed out that the Reds seemed tired after their previous game against Real Madrid. “They were low on energy and even spirit-wise, the second goal is a good example of them lacking commitment a little bit,” he said.
He also noted that Manchester City were the better team technically, especially in tight spaces, while Liverpool struggled to create chances. “Man City were the much better team, technically in small spaces they were much more subtle and Liverpool didn’t create a lot.”
Despite the disappointment of the loss, Manchester City now look like the strongest challengers to Arsenal this season. Sunday’s match marked Guardiola’s 1,000th game as a manager, and Wenger took the opportunity to congratulate him on the milestone.
“He is one of the greatest,” Wenger said. “He has done extremely well. Just to make 1,000 games in this job is already exceptional, and he did it at the very, very, very top level. He has created his own style, and many managers now look at him as someone to follow. Congratulations to him and what he has achieved.”
Wenger’s former club, Arsenal, have not won the Premier League since his title win in 2004. The Gunners have finished second in the past three seasons, making this year’s campaign all the more critical.
