Roy Keane weighs in on Liverpool top four competition compared to Man Utd, Newcastle, Arsenal & Chelsea

Liverpool banked a hard-fought point in their opening game of the Premier League season on Sunday, after holding Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge. It was a game full of action as both sides had a goal chalked off and Liverpool had a second half penalty shout shut down by VAR.

It’s been just one match and the Reds have already experienced some edge-of-your-seat drama. We can only expect this season to continue as it’s started, with plenty of twists and turns to present themselves, particularly when it comes to the fight for top four.

Last season, Liverpool struggled for consistent form and were unable to qualify for the Champions League. They finished fifth after the final game of the season, snubbed by Manchester United and Newcastle, who will both certainly be challenging once again.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Roy Keane admitted he sees yet another triumph for Manchester City at the top of the table but says there is “a lot of competition” when it comes to fighting for a top four finish.

“I’ve said before, unless they really drop off and get really bad injuries or lose that hunger then the other teams have a chance but I can’t see anyone competing with Man City. I think United will be top four, you look at Arsenal they’ve improved, look at Newcastle, Villa will respond well [to the defeat].

“Liverpool, Chelsea — there’s a lot of competition but for a lot of those teams it’s about being top four and that’s the same for United. Newcastle are definitely in the mix for top four. I think they’ve got stronger, their recruitment has been excellent.”

Liverpool’s immediate rivals have strengthened well on the transfer market this summer, with plenty of marquee signings being made. The Reds got their window off to a solid start after signing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but the sudden departures of both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have left Jurgen Klopp scrambling to sign replacements in what is now a worryingly depleted midfield.