Liverpool pulled off a result that not many would have expected. They beat Pep Guardiola’s side 1-0 on Sunday at Anfield. After the game, Arsenal legend Ian Wright was unhappy, with many believing that the top-four battle was out of Liverpool’s hands. However, if they win their game in hand, they will move up to the seventh spot, just three points behind fourth place.
Those who are writing Liverpool off are deemed ‘silly’ by Wright. He believes that Jurgen Klopp and his players can turn things around.
What seemed like an evening of despair turned out to be one of great cheer for the Anfield faithful. An injury-ridden yet motivated Liverpool side and a rampant Anfield turned out to be too much for a travelling Manchester City side.
The win over City brought Liverpool to within 14 points of the leaders, Arsenal. A tough mountain to climb, one that seems unsurmountable this season. Klopp has himself taken Liverpool out of the title race.
After the game, in an interview with Premier League Productions, Wright spoke about Liverpool’s title aspirations and the recent comments about Klopp and the club. He said, “People writing off Liverpool and saying ‘the title is out of it. Maybe that is the case, but there’s no way that Liverpool isn’t going to do something. They have too many good players. The manager is brilliant. I think that’s a significant win for them.”
“It has to be for Liverpool (top four their aim despite win over Man City). It has to be. I still look at it now and see how Liverpool performed in that game. They can get on a run. You can’t see Liverpool not being in the top four. I thought it was silly for people to say, ‘oh, people are out of it now. He’s going to have to build and transition’. Well, we saw what they could do to Man City there. A very good Man City side.”
Liverpool is slowly walking out of the storm towards the light. The season is still young, and with a World Cup in between, it is hard to predict how the second half of the season will go. However, writing off Liverpool so soon, even for a top-four push, would be naive.