Ex-Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant believes his former club are “contenders” for the Premier League title this season.

The Reds are currently two points off first place Tottenham after 8 games, and Pennant said to The Mirror that Jurgen Klopp’s side can compete with the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal for top spot:

“They really look good. Every season, Liverpool goes into the season thinking we want to win the league. That’s their aim.”

“They’re in amongst it and if they continue to gel well, like they are doing so far, there’s no reason why Liverpool can’t be contenders this season.”

Are Liverpool 2.0 ready for a title challenge?

There was a significant overhaul of the squad during the summer and many felt it might take a while for this new team to gel together.

On top of that, the failure to sign a top-class holding midfielder to replace Fabinho has also left question marks about whether there is good enough protection for the back four.

As Pennant points out, though, the Reds have looked really impressive and dealt with most of the challenges that have come their way up until now.

Injuries to key players won’t help their cause

The loss of Andy Robertson to a dislocated shoulder will certainly not help their chances of finishing top of the table, and a lot does hinge on whether they can cope with injuries.

There is a good amount of depth up front and, to some extent, in midfield too, but you do worry about the back four. They did handle the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold pretty well, when he was out for a number of weeks with a hamstring injury, but the lack of cover in fullback areas is a concern.

Kostas Tsimikas will hopefully be up to the task over the next 2 months but, if they are to maintain a title challenge, they can’t afford any other injuries in defence.

Watch the VTF Football Show on Shots!TV as our pundits discuss whether Liverpool are the real deal