Michael Owen believes only two teams are serious contenders for the Premier League title next season following Liverpool’s 3-1 loss to Chelsea.
- Van Dijk names two toughest players he ever faced in his career
- How 7 Premier League teams could qualify for Champions League after Bournemouth win vs Arsenal
- Raphinha named the only team that can stop Barcelona winning this season’s Champions League
Liverpool secured the league crown last weekend, capping off a remarkable debut campaign for Arne Slot at Anfield. ..Continue Reading
However, their celebrations were dampened on Sunday as Chelsea handed them just their third defeat of the season at Stamford Bridge.
Despite dominating possession, Liverpool struggled to convert their chances, with goals from Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer, and a Jarell Quansah own goal sealing Chelsea’s victory.
After the match, Slot acknowledged that the nature of the defeat served as a clear sign that Liverpool must reinforce their squad during the summer transfer window to maintain their edge over rivals.
Owen, however, remains convinced that Liverpool’s current squad has the quality to challenge again next season, cautioning that excessive new arrivals could disrupt the team’s balance.
‘It’s such a good harmonious dressing room that if you go and bring more and more in, then you get discontent,’ he told Premier League Productions. ‘The better players you have as backup, the more problems you have.’
‘You can look at an extreme like Pep Guardiola this season and say, ‘that’s why you should have more players’, but he’s had thin squads all his life.
‘That bit him on the bum this season, but look at Chelsea – too many good players is a problem as well. So you have to be careful with the balance of your squad.
‘It’s a careful balance, and Liverpool have got it spot on at the moment so we’ll see what happens.’
As rival clubs face an uphill battle to strengthen their squads over the summer, Owen believes Liverpool will be strong favorites to defend their Premier League crown next season.
Meanwhile, the former England forward does not anticipate an instant resurgence from Manchester City, who saw their dominance fade this campaign after securing four consecutive titles.
‘I can’t see anybody beating Liverpool next year,’ Owen added. ‘Man City are miles off it. Arsenal are possibly the only challengers for me.’
Glenn Hoddle, meanwhile, urged Liverpool to be proactive in the summer market and insisted they would struggle to retain the title without notable incomings.
‘Man City need to build their squad again and Arsenal need to go again,’ he said. From Liverpool’s point of view, they have a great squad but with the same squad, I can’t see them winning the Premier League next season.
‘I don’t think them players will go again if it’s the same squad. Players like (Curtis) Jones and (Harvey) Elliott aren’t ready to take over when they have to play bigger roles next season.
‘They had some injuries, but they coped because they weren’t in one unit and it wasn’t really the spine of the team.
‘I don’t see them having that luck again. If they get injuries in the same unit – all at the back or all in midfield – then I think they will have a problem.
‘They still need better players in that squad and now is the time to go and get them to dominate and say we are the team to go and beat. I don’t look at that team and go, ‘Wow’.’
