Paul Merson predicts Liverpool will finish above Manchester United next season despite a challenging current campaign. He believes manager Arne Slot retains support and will improve the team's performance.
Key points
Paul Merson predicts Liverpool will finish above Manchester United next season
Liverpool has faced a difficult campaign this year
Arne Slot is under pressure but retains support from club hierarchy
Liverpool's recent draw against Chelsea led to fan criticism
Slot is confident of improving the team next season
Mentioned in this story
Paul MersonArne Slot
LiverpoolManchester United
Paul Merson says the fan reaction at Liverpool shows Arne Slot is up against it at Anfield, but the Sky Sports pundit is still confident they will finish above Man Utd next season.
It's been a difficult campaign for Liverpool, who have fallen dramatically since winning the Premier League in Slot's first season last year. Their wait to secure Champions League football goes on after a 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea last Saturday - a result that was greeted with boos from the Anfield crowd.
It was yet more criticism for Slot from supporters but it is thought he retains the backing of the Anfield hierarchy and has pledged to win back fans next season, saying he is "100 per cent convinced" his side will be a different team next season.
Speaking on Sky Sports News, Merson gives his verdict on how next season might go for both Liverpool and and improved Man Utd, plus he discusses Arsenal and that disallowed West Ham goal and who could be next for Chelsea...
It's easy for managers sometimes to say who's the youngest? And bring them off.
The fans weren't silly. Gakpo could've easily come off and Rio stayed on. Only he knows if he had cramp, but Slot's up against it, when the crowd are letting you know that.
A lot's gone on at Liverpool. I do feel sorry for them with everything that's gone on. They've had a lot of injuries too.
However, I don't think it's all bad for Liverpool and I think they will finish above Man Utd next season. That's also without knowing what happens this summer.
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Carragher x Neville
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher hilariously debate between Manchester United and Liverpool on who has a brighter future and which club is closer to winning the Premier League.
Why? So many players have had good seasons for Man Utd and hardly anyone has for Liverpool, bar Dominik Szoboszlai.
You go through Man Utd's team and there's six or seven players who have been above average this season.
Alexander Isak will be fit, Florian Wirtz will have a year in the league. I'm confident Liverpool will finish above Man Utd.
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Watch Aston Villa vs Liverpool (Friday, 8pm) and Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest (Sunday, 12.30pm) on Sky Sports this weekend
Merson: Invincibles will always be best Arsenal side ever
Meanwhile, Merson believes Arsenal'sinvincible season would still surpass potentially winning the Premier League and Champions League.
Gunners legend Ian Wright said Mikel Arteta's side would go down as the best team in the club's history if they complete the double this season. But Merson reckons the achievement wouldn't be better than the unbeaten side of 2003/04.
"Winning the Premier League and winning the Champions League could be done again," he said.
"Winning the Champions League has already been done but no one's been invincible before bar that team. It's a lot harder to go invincible in this day and age.
"I don't [agree with Wright] because Man Utd and Man City have already done that, but they haven't been invincible."
'If Raya takes the catch then West Ham get a penalty'
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MERSE ON WEST HAM GOAL
Paul Merson has his say on the outcome of the Premier League game between West Ham and Arsenal, where the Hammers' late goal was disallowed after a VAR check.
Merson also had his say on the decision to disallow a crucial West Ham goal at the end of Sunday's Premier League match against Arsenal.
Referee Chris Kavanagh initially awarded Callum Wilson's stoppage-time equaliser but changed his decision after being advised to review it by VAR Darren England.
The officials ruled Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was fouled by Pablo Felipe as he attempted to claim a corner. It was described as one of the most pivotal VAR calls in Premier League history, impacting both the top and bottom of the division.
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Ref Watch: Did VAR make the correct call to disallow West Ham goal?
Ref Watch takes a closer look at the HUGE decision to disallow a late West Ham equaliser against Arsenal and explains why it took so long to come to the decision to overturn it.
"It's a stonewall foul but there's so much going on around the foul," Merson said.
"If Raya comes and catches the ball, West Ham will get a penalty because Declan Rice is fouling, Trossard's fouling.
"I don't think the goalkeeper should have come in the first place. I thought it was in no man's land, in my opinion. When he comes, he's just not going to get there.
"You've got to look at the start as well with Havertz, he is getting fouled.
"Fair play to the ref in the end, you know, because he's gone and made a big decision in front of 60,000 West Ham fans, which is a big, big decision."
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Thumbnail
Ian Wright, Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp dissect West Ham's disallowed equaliser in stoppage time.
Watch Arsenal vs Burnley on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports from 6.30pm; kick off 8pm
Merse: Silva to replace Rosenior at Chelsea?
Finally, former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonsohas emerged as the candidate with the best CV for theChelsea job.
The Blues want a manager with experience at the highest level. Alonso is highly regarded because of his playing career and his managerial record at Bayer Leverkusen. There is also a general feeling that he wasn't given enough time at Real Madrid and he would have been successful if he had kept his job.
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However, while Merson thinks Alonso could be a good fit for Chelsea, he put forward another name to take the permanent job at Stamford Bridge.
He said: "You always think Xabi Alonso is going to be the next Liverpool manager - I'd keep Slot, because of what he did last year. But unless he's been told he's not getting the Liverpool job, he might say yeah Chelsea's a good fit.
"He was brilliant at Leverkusen, he messed with the wrong people at Real Madrid. You can't do that, messing with Vinicius Junior, so it'll be interesting.
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KAV ON ALONSO TO CHELSEA
Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol brings updates on Chelsea’s head coach vacancy and whether former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso will be a good fit for the Blues.
"I like him, he was a special player and did great in Germany but not so much in Spain. Plus, he hasn't managed in the Premier League.
"I think it could be Marco Silva. He ticks the boxes. Iraola won't like what he sees with Chelsea being outrun in every game, I don't know how he'd turn that around.
"Silva's only up the road too, wouldn't have to move, he's been in the Premier League a long time and is steady. He's done a really good job at Fulham."
