Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Peter Crouch picks preferred Liverpool cog and makes big prediction

Peter Crouch pundit January 2021

Peter Crouch has revealed his preferred deep-lying Liverpool midfielder and says the Reds are favourites to complete an historic Premier League and Champions League double this season.

Jurgen Klopp’s men made it three Champions League Group B wins out of three by beating Atletico Madrid 3-2 on Tuesday night. Mohamed Salah’s brace along with a Naby Keita goal saw them edge out 10-man Atletic, who had Antoine Griezmann sent off in the second half.

It means the Reds, who are starting to show the form that helped them win the Premier League title in 2019/20, are now 21 games unbeaten in all competitions.

Liverpool were not at their fluent best at the Wanda Metropolitano, but they were good enough to sink a battling Atletico side managed by Diego Simeone.

Crouch believes Klopp’s side is good enough to win a famous Double, but he does see weaknesses and believes the Reds are a better side when Fabinho plays rather than Naby Keita.

“I think we saw a few weaknesses tonight,” Crouch told BT Sport.

“Keita scored a fantastic goal tonight but they look a lot more solid when Fabinho is in the team.

“I felt like the high line was too high. I felt there was times Griezmann ran in behind from his own half.

“With it being that high, you think later on in Champions League when you’ve got [Kylian] Mbappe, [Lionel] Messi and Neymar [at PSG] running at you, the kind of pace they have, when you play that high it’s going to be difficult.”

While Liverpool’s record is a perfect one in Europe, they remain just a point behind leaders Chelsea in the Premier League.

The bookies though favour current Premier League champions Man City, while they also have Chelsea shorter than the Reds to win the domestic title.

Liverpool joined by Juventus and AS Roma in Denis Zakaria chase

Liverpool joined by Juventus and AS Roma in Denis Zakaria chase

Liverpool have reportedly been joined by Juventus and AS Roma in the race for Switzerland midfielder Denis Zakaria, with more news on Jeremy Doku and Aaron Ramsey.

Crouch, 40, though disagrees and think’s Klopp’s men are a good bet to win both competitions.

“But I still feel they’re the best team. I think they are favourites to win the Champions League and favourites to win the Premier League,” added Crouch.


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No weaknesses at Liverpool, says Cole

His BT Sport colleague and former Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole agrees and thinks only injuries can derail Klopp’s men

“I agree, I said at the start of the year the English teams are favourite for the Champions League. And I stand by that,” Cole said.

“I think Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool more likely than Manchester United. But if it clicks at Manchester United then they will be up there.

“The four English teams have never been that strong. Liverpool got through a very good Atletico Madrid team, not played at their best and came away with a victory.

“I don’t think there are any weaknesses in this team. The only thing I can think of will hold them back is they got injuries like last year.”

READ MORE: Simeone explanation won’t wash with pundits, who slam ‘cowardly’ Klopp moment