It might only be October, but some Manchester United fans are starting to worry about the prospect of Liverpool ending their long title drought.
The Reds are closing in on three decades without top-flight glory, but Jürgen Klopp has made such a quick impact that top spot in the Premier League is by no means out of reach.
And one of the United fans starting to express concern is Ryan Giggs, who admits ‘Liverpool have put themselves in contention this year’.
Writing in his Daily Telegraph column, Giggs suggests the lack of European distractions could help Klopp’s side rise to the top at the time of reckoning.
‘During that final against Sevilla, it occurred to me that if Liverpool had this season without the draining effect of European football, and had recruited well in the summer, then they would have a real chance of challenging for the Premier League,’ Giggs writes.
‘With a year at the club, Klopp would be better suited to the demands of the English game, his players would be well adapted to his way of playing and they would have no mid-week distraction from the task at the weekend.’
Liverpool are currently level on points with league leaders Manchester City, and could go top with victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday if other results go their way.
They won the corresponding fixture last season, but the matchwinner that day – Christian Benteke – has since swapped Anfield for Selhurst Park.
.@TonyBarrett on the deal that *never* made sense https://t.co/gxuTmHd06Z
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) October 28, 2016
Giggs has admitted that the prospect of a Liverpool title victory ‘fills me with dread’, and hopes the club’s lack of a 20-goal striker hinders them.
‘While Sadio Mane or Daniel Sturridge might prove me wrong, you do need one of those in a title-winning team,’ he writes.
There are still 29 games to go, but with other clubs facing European distractions between now and May it would be foolish to write off Liverpool this early.
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