Neville Explains Why Liverpool Should Ditch Their Champions League Ambitions This Season

Neville Explains Why Liverpool Should Ditch Their Champions League Ambitions This Season

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville thinks Liverpool could benefit from an early Champions League exit this season to have their best chance of winning the Premier League title.

The former Manchester United defender thinks the intensity at which the Reds play could lead to burn out for the forwards if they are asked to play in too many competitions.

“The Champions League – if I was Liverpool, I would kick it into touch. Why? I think their method is exhausting for the front three [Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino]. The drop in quality below them, if there are injuries or playing Wednesday, Saturday, I think it will take its toll.”

Liverpool got to the Champions League final last campaign with a weaker squad than they have this season, and still finished fourth after losing just five games. They did, however, finish 25 points behind winners Manchester City.

Considering the Reds’ incredible history in European competition, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll prioritise the league over progressing in the Champions League, although there is no doubt playing only game week in final few months of the season would increase the team’s overall performance level.

Still, after improving the squad’s depth over the summer, manager Jurgen Klopp will be confident he can now compete on all fronts.

David Tully

David Tully

David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for National World's Football News Network.