‘Best in the world’ – Ex-Everton defender drops huge Liverpool claim after Saturday title drama
After watching Liverpool overcome his Brentford side in dramatic fashion yesterday, Thomas Frank labelled the Reds ‘the best team in the world right now’ – and he’s not alone in that sense.
The title race took a major twist in the space of roughly two hours on Saturday as Arne Slot’s side scored twice in stoppage time to secure a priceless 2-0 win over the Bees, before then seeing Arsenal relinquish a two-goal lead to end up with only a point at home to Aston Villa.
Gunners fans who were fantasising about closing to within two points of the league leaders are instead waking up this morning to see their team six points behind, and with a game more played.
It’s not just the Premier League which is in Liverpool’s sights this season – they’re also the only team with a 100% record in the Champions League as the tournament resumes this week.
Williams make grand Liverpool statement
Speaking on Match of the Day on BBC last night, Ashley Williams – an ex-Everton defender but a boyhood Reds fan – echoed Frank’s aforementioned sentiments about Slot’s team, should they go on to claim the two biggest prizes on offer to them this year.
The former Wales international said: “Right now, Liverpool have the strongest squad and I think they will win the league. They also have their sights set on the Champions League and if they do win that, we can say they are the best in the world.”
Liverpool in firm control of their own destiny after Saturday
It’s amazing what a couple of stoppage time goals from Darwin Nunez can do to change the narrative so drastically!
Having dropped points in four of their previous seven Premier League games before yesterday, it looked for all the world as though Liverpool would be frustrated once again, and failure to win at Brentford would’ve given rise to fresh questioning of the Reds’ title credentials.
Instead, the rollercoaster events at opposite ends of London on Saturday have pundits such as Williams and Paul Merson claiming that the title is effectively ours to lose from here, given that a win over Everton with our game in hand on 12 February would stretch the lead to nine points, all things being equal in the meantime.
LFC supporters know from previous years not to jump the gun too early when going for the domestic crown, so while neutral observers might be tempted to suggest that Slot’s team have one hand on the trophy already, nobody of a Merseyside red persuasion will be making any grandiose claims just yet.
That said, yesterday’s results should provide Liverpool with an enormous psychological boost to drive on and ensure that they don’t suffer a repeat of 2018/19 by letting a sizeable January lead turn into a gallant but soul-destroying second-place finish.
Aspirations of a Premier League and Champions League double endure, but if Saturday has taught us anything, it’s that the picture could swing drastically in the space of a few hours. One step at a time, Reds!
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