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'I've changed my mind on Liverpool - I'm very confident how Premier League title race will end'
Former Liverpool star Steve Nicol is backing the Reds to win the Premier League, having changed his mind on Manchester City and Arsenal.
Liverpool leads the way after 11 games, with Arne Slot having guided them to nine league wins since taking over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer. Not only that, but the Reds hold healthy advantages over their main title rivals heading into the final international break of 2024.
City sits five points behind in second, while Arsenal is lagging by nine points – the same margin as Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Brighton currently. With still a long way to go though, there is plenty of work for Slot to do if he’s to beat Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta to the title.
Nevertheless, Nicol has seen enough to convince him his old side will go all the way this season. Having originally predicted that Arsenal would win the title, the former right-back has now changed his mind.
“I would say very confident (on Liverpool winning the league),” Nicol told ESPN FC. “Part of the reason has to do with both Arsenal and Man City. They’ve got a nine-point lead over Arsenal and a five-point lead over City.
“The title is between those three and we’re not quite sure what we’re getting from Arsenal and City right now. Whereas Liverpool, we kind of know exactly what we’re getting. Everything’s settled in their house.
“The other two are just stumbling along and the longer they stumble, the harder it’s going to be. If Arsenal lose this weekend and Liverpool win, they are going to be 12 points behind.
“Do you really think you can give this Liverpool side four games of a start and you still have to get through the whole campaign winning every game? That’s why I’ve gone for them.”
Liverpool faces a crucial run of games that could go a long way to deciding its fate in the title race when it returns from the break. After a trip to Southampton, the Reds host Real Madrid and City in the Champions League and Premier League respectively, before heading to Newcastle and Everton.
Slot will hope to have his injured players back to full fitness for that run-in, with Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott and Alisson Becker looking on course to return soon after the international break. Trent Alexander-Arnold faces a race against time to be fit though after being forced off with a hamstring problem against Aston Villa.
