Michael Owen remains confident about Liverpool’s chance this season and in the seasons to come after a difficult start to their defence of the Premier League title
Michael Owen believes Liverpool, when they are at their best, are the best team in the world(Image: Tom Dulat – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
If Liverpool’s collective confidence has been shaken this season, it is understandable. Their march to a record-equalling 20th top-flight English title was serene; the defence of the Premier League has been anything but.
It looked very much business as usual in the opening weeks of the campaign as Arne Slot’s side bounced back from the Community Shield penalty shoot-out defeat to Crystal Palace by winning their first seven games in all competitions.
But the late loss to Palace in September, this time in the Premier League at Selhurst Park, set in motion a dreadful run of form that even led to questions over the job security of the man who led Liverpool to championship glory in his first year in charge.
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While also dealing with a very public outburst from Mohamed Salah, Slot has managed to quiet what was a growing storm.
With Salah restored to the squad, and impressing off the bench in his final outing before heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations, the Reds won 2-0 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday to make it eight points from the last possible 12 and five matches unbeaten including the excellent 1-0 Champions League victory at Inter.
While the run offers encouragement, no-one at Anfield will be going overboard. One look at the table, which sees the defending champions down in seventh, 10 points behind leaders Arsenal, offers a reminder of that.
And while chasing down the Gunners, even at this stage of the campaign, feels a tall order, former Liverpool hero Michael Owen believes Slot’s side still have everything to play for.
The Reds sit just two points off a top-four place while the success at the San Siro means they are well-placed to qualify automatically for the Champions League knock-out stages.
And Owen, speaking on Premier League Productions, believes his old club are only going to get better, especially when their big summer signings really click.
He said: “The confidence of keeping a clean sheet and winning another game after going away in Europe playing a tricky game… this is a seriously good team.
“If everyone plays at their absolute peak, I still think Liverpool are the best team in the world. I do.
“They are obviously not showing it regularly but they won the league at a canter last year and they have signed incredible players, invested for the future, and these players are going to come good.
“This is a team that aren’t going to go away and are going to be title contenders for the next five years.
“As much as they’re not playing very well, you’ve still got to be fearful of Liverpool. They have beaten Arsenal and Aston Villa and have gone away in Europe and are doing well in the Champions League.
“Everyone is talking about this disaster, but they’re top six and flying high in the Champions League.
“It is not a disaster yet and there is a long way to go, and these new signings are only going to get better.”
The Reds return to action on Saturday away to Tottenham Hotspur (5.30pm). They then host Wolves and Leeds United before travelling to Fulham and Arsenal before entertaining Barnsley in the FA Cup third round.
