Where Gary Neville, Roy Keane & 31 other pundits predicted Liverpool to finish as Reds to win Premier League
There were few who predicted Liverpool to win the Premier League title at the start of the season
Liverpool are just one point away from winning the Premier League title in Arne Slot’s first season at the club. Arsenal drew for the 13th time in 34 games against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night to all-but hand the title to the Reds.
Slot’s side need just one draw or for Arsenal to drop points in one of their last four matches to win the title. It has been an impressive first season for the Dutchman at Anfield, who has more than stepped up to fill the void left by the departure of Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds have lost just twice in 33 games, and went on a 26-match undefeated streak in that run. They have recorded some big wins this campaign. They beat Manchester City home and away and cruised to a 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford early in the season. Up next is the visit of Tottenham Hotspur, who the Reds beat 6-3 in the reverse league fixture in North London.
At the start of the season, not many pundits gave Liverpool a hope of winning the title - as we look back on those predictions with top spot almost secured.
Zero BBC Sport pundits predicted a Liverpool title - only two put them second
In August, BBC Sport gauged the opinion of 30 of their TV and radio pundits for who would win the league this season. Most of them put Liverpool third, with a couple predicting fourth and some had them outside the top four altogether. Former players Stephen Warnock and Fara Williams were the only two to put them higher than third, as they tipped the Reds to finish second.
Ellen White, Rachel Brown-Finnis, Nedum Onuoha, Sue Smith, Danny Gabbidon, Matt Upson, Chris Waddle, Glenn Murray, Micah Richards, Karen Bardsley, Joe Hart, Dion Dublin, Rob Green, Troy Deeney, Anita Asante, Lindsay Johnson, Shay Given, Danny Murphy, Clinton Morrison, Paul Robinson, Chris Sutton, Michael Brown and Theo Walcott had the Reds in third.
Jermaine Beckford and Ashley Williams had them to finish fourth. Meanwhile, Steve Sidwell, Leon Osman and Pat Nevin had them outside the top four altogether. All BBC pundits backed either Arsenal or Manchester City to lift the title with Liverpool’s title win catching a number of experts by surprise.
Gary Neville and Roy Keane’s laughable Liverpool prediction
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had the Reds to finish in third in Slot’s first season while Gary Neville predicted them to finish outside the top four. Speaking on the Overlap in August, Neville made this outlandish prediction they’d not even be in the top six. He said: “Not sure. My surprise is Liverpool won’t finish in the top six.”
His prediction was then backed up by Roy Keane, who added: “Yes I think so, unless they get a couple of signings in the next few weeks.”
Liverpool only made one signing after those comments with Federico Chiesa joining the club but he has been on the fringes for much of the season at Anfield. The predictions from those within the game highlight the impressive nature of Liverpool’s season. The Reds could still finish on 94 points which is more than what either Arsenal and Man City have achieved in each of the last two single seasons.