Michael Owen tips ‘unrecognisable’ Man City for PL failure amid ’20 points’ Liverpool claim

Michael Owen has revealed he feels it will be “hard for anyone” to reach Liverpool in the Premier League title race, and “unrecognisable” Manchester City have been given little chance.

The Reds were comfortably the best team in the Premier League last season. Arne Slot made almost no additions to the team he inherited from Jurgen Klopp, yet still managed to guide his side to 84 points – 10 more than second-placed Arsenal.

Since then, the Liverpool squad has levelled up massively, with a spend of over £265million going on Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike and Armin Pecsi, while Freddie Woodman has joined on a free.

Former Reds striker Owen feels that should lead the club to a second successive league title, with usual title rivals City given little hope.

He told talkSPORT: “Liverpool won the league by ten points last season despite getting two points from the last four games when they weren’t really trying.

“They could have won the league by 20 points. That’s winning the league by a mile. It’s going to take some effort for anyone else to catch them when it also looks like Liverpool will be stronger than they were last season. It’s going to be hard for anyone to catch them.

“I just think Man City were far off it last season and there’s been so much change over the summer. They’re almost unrecognisable given the amount of players they’ve brought in over the last year. I think that takes a little bit of time to bed in.

“Rodri will be back of course but there’s no guarantee with him coming back from an ACL injury. No, I don’t think they will win the Premier League. I don’t think so.”

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Chelsea given hope amid Arsenal pressure

Owen also feels there’s pressure at Arsenal to deliver after three second-placed finishes in a row and a big new signing, and Chelsea could fly under the radar after Club World Cup triumph in the summer.

“I’m firmly in Liverpool’s camp, if there’s going to be an upset I think Arsenal and the big outside is maybe Chelsea. I don’t think Man City can bounce back that quick,” Owen said.

“The pressure on [Viktor Gyokeres] is incredible because Arsenal have been needing a centre-forward for a long time now. All of a sudden they’ve got one and everybody thinks it’s the missing piece of the jigsaw.

“He’s then gone and taken No.14 [made iconic by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry], which just adds a load of pressure on.

“But if he strikes and he’s good, then Arsenal are serious challengers again. But if not, then I can’t see anything but Liverpool. This lad needs to be good for Arsenal, doesn’t he.”

Liverpool round-up: Isak doubts raised

Former Liverpool star Luis Garcia thinks the price for Alexander Isak to be signed by Liverpool is “really high” as he stated: “It’s not that you’re a team who needs a centre-forward to score 30, 35 goals, you already have a player like that on the right side [Mohamed Salah], and you’ve got a lot of players who can score double figures.

“I think Isak is a fantastic player and of course he will give you something extra, but I’m not sure spending that money on a striker right now is the best thing for Liverpool.”

But with Benjamin Sesko looking likely to move to Newcastle, TEAMtalk is aware that presents Liverpool the ‘open door’ they’ve been waiting for to pounce on Isak.

And it’s reported that Tyler Morton’s transfer to Lyon is ‘on the verge’ of completion.

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