Alan Shearer backs five teams to challenge Liverpool for the title next season
Premier League legend Alan Shearer (Picture: YouTube) Alan Shearer would be ‘amazed’ if Liverpool won the Premier League so comfortably next season and expects five teams to provide more competition at the top of the table. Liverpool’s status as Premier League champions was confirmed on Sunday with a handful of games remaining. The Reds, who clinched a record-equalling 20th English league title, are 15 points above second-placed Arsenal and 21 points ahead of last year’s champions Manchester City. City were attempting to win a record-extending fifth successive league title but fell way short, giving other teams a chance to take their Premier League crown. Arsenal and to a lesser extent Chelsea both threatened to mount challenges but Liverpool’s title triumph has felt inevitable for weeks if not months. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Arne Slot’s side have lost just twice in the league this season and remain on course to amass more than 90 points this season. Shearer sees no reason why Liverpool cannot defend the title but expects much greater competition at the top of the Premier League. Liverpool thumped Tottenham to clinch the title (Picture: Getty) ‘I would be amazed if Liverpool won it as easily next season,’ Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast. ‘I don’t see that happening at all. ‘There are so many teams waiting to improve, Arsenal being one, Man City being another, Newcastle and Aston Villa as well. Chelsea are another one. ‘There are so many teams that are willing and have to improve next year. If Liverpool win it next year, it won’t be as easy.’ Fellow former England striker Gary Lineker also expects a ‘tighter’ title race to unfold next season and has tipped Arsenal and Man City to push Liverpool much closer. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page ‘I would think Liverpool will challenge for the title for the next couple of seasons now,’ he said. ‘What I think will happen though is both Man City and Arsenal will put up a better fist of things and probably not have the amount of injuries they’ve had this season. ‘I think it will be a lot closer. I don’t think for one minute they can win it as easily next season but who knows. ‘I suspect Man City get back to somewhere approaching their best, I would be shocked if they had another season like this one. Man City will try to come again next season (Picture: Getty) ‘I think Pep Guardiola will want it even more next season, if that’s possible, because that drive hasn’t gone. ‘I think the title race will be a lot tighter, it has to be. They’ve won it at a canter this year. ‘I think it will be a great season actually and hopefully a bit more competitive at both ends of the table.’ Given Liverpool’s dominance in the Premier League, it is easy to forget some of the doubts over the club before the season started. Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk after Liverpool won the title (Picture: Getty) A number of pundits questioned how Liverpool would fare following the departure of Anfield legend Jurgen Klopp, who transformed the club during his nine-year spell on Merseyside. But ex-Feyenoord boss Slot is set to lift the Premier League trophy in his first season in England after blowing away Liverpool’s domestic rivals. ‘It feels great,’ Slot said after Liverpool secured the Premier League title. ‘I don’t think I want to say a lot. ‘The only thing now is to send my appreciation to Jurgen Klopp. I am 99.9% sure that if I pick up my phone there will be a message from Jurgen. ‘So many moments in the season the two of us have had contact. I think he showed last season what a wonderful human being he is by introducing me. ‘But what mattered most is the team he left behind tha
Alan Shearer would be ‘amazed’ if Liverpool won the Premier League so comfortably next season and expects five teams to provide more competition at the top of the table.
Liverpool’s status as Premier League champions was confirmed on Sunday with a handful of games remaining.
The Reds, who clinched a record-equalling 20th English league title, are 15 points above second-placed Arsenal and 21 points ahead of last year’s champions Manchester City.
City were attempting to win a record-extending fifth successive league title but fell way short, giving other teams a chance to take their Premier League crown.
Arsenal and to a lesser extent Chelsea both threatened to mount challenges but Liverpool’s title triumph has felt inevitable for weeks if not months.
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
Arne Slot’s side have lost just twice in the league this season and remain on course to amass more than 90 points this season.
Shearer sees no reason why Liverpool cannot defend the title but expects much greater competition at the top of the Premier League.
‘I would be amazed if Liverpool won it as easily next season,’ Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast. ‘I don’t see that happening at all.
‘There are so many teams waiting to improve, Arsenal being one, Man City being another, Newcastle and Aston Villa as well. Chelsea are another one.
‘There are so many teams that are willing and have to improve next year. If Liverpool win it next year, it won’t be as easy.’
Fellow former England striker Gary Lineker also expects a ‘tighter’ title race to unfold next season and has tipped Arsenal and Man City to push Liverpool much closer.
‘I would think Liverpool will challenge for the title for the next couple of seasons now,’ he said.
‘What I think will happen though is both Man City and Arsenal will put up a better fist of things and probably not have the amount of injuries they’ve had this season.
‘I think it will be a lot closer. I don’t think for one minute they can win it as easily next season but who knows.
‘I suspect Man City get back to somewhere approaching their best, I would be shocked if they had another season like this one.
‘I think Pep Guardiola will want it even more next season, if that’s possible, because that drive hasn’t gone.
‘I think the title race will be a lot tighter, it has to be. They’ve won it at a canter this year.
‘I think it will be a great season actually and hopefully a bit more competitive at both ends of the table.’
Given Liverpool’s dominance in the Premier League, it is easy to forget some of the doubts over the club before the season started.
A number of pundits questioned how Liverpool would fare following the departure of Anfield legend Jurgen Klopp, who transformed the club during his nine-year spell on Merseyside.
But ex-Feyenoord boss Slot is set to lift the Premier League trophy in his first season in England after blowing away Liverpool’s domestic rivals.
‘It feels great,’ Slot said after Liverpool secured the Premier League title. ‘I don’t think I want to say a lot.
‘The only thing now is to send my appreciation to Jurgen Klopp. I am 99.9% sure that if I pick up my phone there will be a message from Jurgen.
‘So many moments in the season the two of us have had contact. I think he showed last season what a wonderful human being he is by introducing me.
‘But what mattered most is the team he left behind that was able to win the trophy.’
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