Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand admits Liverpool are still favourites to win the Premier League title this season. Premier League clubs adding several stars this summer, while Liverpool are not busy in the transfer market. Manchester City have signed Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres. Chelsea have added no fewer than seven new players to their playing roster from last season. Joining Frank Lampard’s side for the new season are Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva, Xavier Mbuyamba, Ben Chilwell, Malang Sarr and Kai Havertz. Ferdinand says the chasing pack should believe they can close the gap/ “No one can say Liverpool had a freak season because they finished so far ahead of their rivals, but they did have one big factor on their side that they cannot guarantee going forward,” Ferdinand told TEAMtalk. “The key for them has been having their key players fit for the best part of two seasons. It has been massive and what we have yet to find out is how they will cope if they are to lose a few big names for an extended period. “Virgil van Dijk has played nearly every game for two seasons and it’s hard to keep that going. Mo Salah has been fit for all the big games and so has Sadio Mane. “What have they got in reserve to come in for these proven stars and maintain this level of consistency? That’s what we are waiting to see. Questions will be asked of this Liverpool team and their recruitment from this point forward. Their front three have been fit consistently and they might need to look at having some better quality in reserve if Salah or Mane, in particular, are out for a long period. “When I look at the teams I played in when we were winning titles every season at Manchester United, we never had two seasons when all the top players were fit for the big games, so Liverpool have had some fortune there and obviously do things right on the medical side as well to get their players right. If they can continue to keep those players fit, I don’t see Liverpool being stopped this season, but it is unlikely that will happen year after year. If things change with the personnel, it opens it up for the other teams and not just Man City.”
Source: Liverpool ECHO/ *Join us on Telegram!