Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes that Manchester City are the only team that can win the Premier League this season.
City won the Premier League title for a third consecutive campaign last season after overhauling Arsenal’s eight-point lead.
Pep Guardiola’s side went on to win the FA Cup and the Champions League, completing arguably the most successful season in the club’s history.
City have won the Premier League title in five of the last six seasons, but on more than one occasion Liverpool have pushed them all the way.
City managed to pip Klopp’s side to the title by a single point in both 2018/19 and 2021/22, although Liverpool did get their hands on the trophy in 2019/20.
However, last season saw Liverpool’s level drop dramatically as they finished fifth in the table, 22 points behind the champions.
Klopp makes City claim
The 2019 Champions League winners have spent just over £96m on Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer in an attempt to boost their title chances, but Klopp still thinks that only City can win the title.
“Nobody besides maybe City can have the real target to become champions again this year,” the Liverpool boss said ahead of his side’s friendly against Bayern Munich.
“All the other teams fight for the Champions League and that’s what we do as well. The earlier you qualify for the Champions League, the higher you are in the table.
“If you are second and in striking distance to first then you might have a chance. I don’t know who will be there.
“We need points and a lot of them. Yes, a club the size of Liverpool has to be successful. Otherwise, the club has to find different solutions.
“For us it’s not about that [the title]. It’s about Bayern, Darmstadt and then Chelsea. Those are the games I’m thinking about.”
MCN view: Klopp is being disingenuous
Klopp is kidding himself if he thinks people will believe his latest City claim.
His Liverpool side have gone toe-to-toe with City in recent years, so there is no reason why they should not be targeting a title win.
Arsenal will surely have another crack after going close last season, while Manchester United will look to build on an encouraging first campaign under Erik ten Hag.
The idea that City are the only team targeting a league title is ridiculous, especially after losing a player as key as Ilkay Gundogan.
