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Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish has said that injury issues pose the biggest challenge for his former club as they look to win the three-horse Premier League title race against Manchester City and Arsenal.
The former Scotland striker has said that Arsenal and Manchester City have fewer injury problems than the Reds, which puts the Merseyside giants at a disadvantage.
Dalglish has hailed how the three teams are giving everything to come out on top in what could be one of the most exciting title races in years. "King Kenny" has, however, warned that Liverpool's persistent injury problems could see them losing their grip on top spot as Arsenal and Manchester City are in healthier states.
The Scotsman said, as quoted by Liverpool.com:
"For me, Arsenal have got to go to Manchester and play Man City which is a big game. I don't know why people think Arsenal haven't got a vested interest and a threat, of course they're a threat. They're a threat because they deserve to be a threat.There is a lot of water still to pass under the bridge and if Arsenal are starting to get their players back, that have been injured, and we [Liverpool] are starting to lose ours then it could be vital. Man City obviously will be right in the thick of it."
The 72-year-old added:
"It's fantastic that we've got three teams as good and as great quality as those three challenging a position and the title. You don't get that in too many countries do you?"
Dalglish also said that whichever side wins the title will deserve to win it. He said:
"Let me see how they get on but it's a great competition and there are three teams that are an absolute credit to the Premier League. Whoever wins it deserves to win it because they will have got the most points. The more points, the more successful you'll be."
Jurgen Klopp is currently missing 12 star players, including the likes of Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez, Dominik Szoboszlai and Diogo Jota. They travel to the City Ground on Saturday, March 2, to take on 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
Pundit claims Liverpool star should consider his future at the club
Former Premier League goalkeeper-turned-pundit Shaka Hislop has said that it is about time Caoimhin Kelleher considers his future at Liverpool. The ex-West Ham United keeper has insisted that the Ireland international is approaching the prime of his career and should look to play more consistently.
Hislop said that with Alisson Becker, who is just 31, ahead of him in the pecking order at Liverpool, Kelleher must move on to fulfil his own ambitions. He said:
“If I’m Kelleher, I’m starting to think that now. And listen, while rightly we’ve sang Kelleher’s praises over the last couple of weeks for those performances, I can’t think of an occasion where he’s come in and not stood up, and not delivered a good performance."
Hislop added:
“So at some point – while he’s not better than Alisson, he doesn’t need me to tell him that – to continue to improve, you’ve got to play consistently. And I think at this stage of his career, of his own development, he needs to start having that thought and getting his representatives to find what is the right opportunity for him.”
Kelleher joined Liverpool from Ringmahon Rangers in 2015 and has been at the club since. He has been the understudy of Alisson over the last few years and has also been regularly trusted by Klopp in cup games.
Kelleher has deputized for Alisson Becker on five occasions in the Premier League this season. He has played 17 games this term across competitions, keeping four clean sheets and conceding 18 times. He played a pivotal role in the club's Carabao Cup win last week, making nine saves in the final against Chelsea.
