Former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp has claimed that Liverpool can win the title this season, as he predicted Mohamed Salah to be key for them in their crunch game against Manchester City.
Speaking to the Essential Football Podcast, he previewed how the title clash between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield will go and emphasised the importance of Salah for Liverpool trying to get anything out of the game.
The pundit made it clear how impressed he’s been by Salah recently, saying he feels the Egypt international seems to be benefitting from the return of Virgil van Dijk after he missed the majority of last season through injury.
“I’ve seen a lot of Mohamed Salah, I’ve watched him closely, and he’s playing as well as I’ve ever seen him,” Redknapp said.
“Salah’s all-round game right now is phenomenal. His work rate, his desire, his goals, his assists… I haven’t seen him in better form.
“He’s confident, strong and he’s got the bit between his teeth. He’s enjoying having Virgil van Dijk back and knowing he’s playing in a team that can win the title again. He’s in wonderful form and it’s a joy to watch him.”
He later added: “Salah is in the form of his life and will cause this Man City defence problems.
“City’s full-backs will want to run the other way but if they leave space for Salah he’ll cut them open. City’s defence is great with Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias but keep giving the ball to Salah because teams can’t live with him right now.”
After an underwhelming campaign blighted by injuries to the spine of the team last season, including a season-ending injury to defensive colossus Virgil van Dijk early on, Liverpool are back up to full strength and will be hoping to push for the League title again this season.
However, this season looks set to be one of the most competitive title races the Premier League has ever seen, with four teams marked out as the four best in the country.
One of those teams is Manchester City, who play Liverpool at Anfield this weekend.
Redknapp also highlighted the tactical differences between Chelsea and Liverpool. Explaining that while Pep Guardiola’s game plan against Chelsea worked very well, he will need to tweak it because Liverpool are much happier to play the ball long and in behind for the likes of Salah and Sadio Mane to run onto.
The game has the potential to be pivotal for the title race early on in the season, so both teams will be desperate to take points off of the other in order to strengthen their own title credentials, with just a singular point separating the two clubs.
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