Michael Owen asserts that Liverpool remain the top team in the Premier League, ahead of Arsenal and Manchester City, even as they languish in sixth position, 19 points behind the leaders.
Liverpool’s Title Defense Struggles
Arne Slot led Liverpool to the Premier League crown in his debut season, but the defending champions have faltered with inconsistency this campaign. Currently sixth in the standings, they trail Arsenal by a significant margin.
Owen remains convinced of their superiority. “Personally, I think they’re the best team in the Premier League,” he stated on Wayne Rooney’s show. “People will laugh like, ‘where are they, sixth in the league?’ They trounced the league last season, and they’re not the sixth [best], they’re just not playing well.”
He added, “If you get the best performance out of every team in the Premier League and say, ‘right, go on, your best against your best’, I think Liverpool are the best team. Going to Anfield I think is impossible when they’re playing well.”
Rooney Counters with Arsenal’s Consistency
Wayne Rooney offered a differing view. “For me it’s different, I think Arsenal are the most consistent team, whether they win it or not, I’m still not sure because of City, I don’t know,” he said.
Rooney highlighted Liverpool’s challenges: “The players they lost last summer and the players they brought in, it’s a big turnaround to get the same out of the group of players this year what they got last year. If you look at the players they lost, plus, which I’ve said all season, I don’t think Van Dijk or Salah, who are Liverpool’s two main players, have been at their best. So I think next season will be the one for Liverpool.”
Owen Predicts Liverpool’s Return
Owen pushed back, noting fan priorities: “I think if you ask a Liverpool fan, would you settle for finishing fifth? Champions League football is absolutely vital. Then after the season it’s been, and then to try to win another trophy, then I think they’d take that.”
He pointed to key summer signings: “I hear Wazza with the Liverpool situation, it’s been massively frustrating but I still find it hard to believe you can go from being so dominant one season and adding some really top players, Isak, Ekitike, Wirtz, just those three are unbelievable players.”
“It’s hard to believe they’re worse, of course, they’re playing worse this season but I just think it’s a matter of time, maybe next season, before you see them at their very top again. Arsenal I think will go on to win the league but you can’t tell me they’re as good as, or even close to Liverpool last season. I still think Liverpool have got it in them, they’re just not doing it consistently.”
