On Sky Sports, footballers Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have an in-depth discussion on a number of hot topics for the new Premier League season, including the contrasting midfield strengths of Manchester United and Liverpool, the title race for the new season, and the survival of the promoted teams.
Man Utd vs Liverpool midfield battle: Man Utd edge emerges
Neville began by pointing out that despite Liverpool's excellent performances over the past decade, Klopp's departure has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the Reds' future. He believes that Klopp's tactical system and staffing is the key to Liverpool's success, and that Klopp's departure could upset this balance, leading to the team's performance suffering in the new season. Especially in the midfield, Neville believes that Manchester United has more depth and strength under Ten Hagar. He singled out new United midfielder Kopi Menu, as well as existing players such as Casemiro, Fernandez, Mason Mount and McTominay, as players whose additions have given United's midfield a significant boost.
In contrast, Neville expressed some concern about Liverpool's midfield combination. He acknowledged that players such as Hikaru Endo, Sobosloi and McAllister had performed well under Klopp, but he was unsure whether these players could continue to play at a high level after Klopp's departure. He said, "I really doubt if that Liverpool midfield duo will be able to hold their own throughout the season and if they do, I'll take my hat off to them."
Title Race: Arsenal Challenges Man City's Hegemony
Carragher and Neville gave different views on the title race in the new season. Carragher backed Pep Guardiola's Manchester City to continue their dominance, believing that with a strong squad and a stable tactical system, they are the favorites to win the title. However, Neville has high hopes for Arsenal. He believes that Arsenal has shown great competitiveness and stability in the last season, and they are expected to go further this year and challenge City's hegemony. Neville said, "I think Arsenal are very close, they are very consistent and this could be the year for them."
Fate of the promoted horse: Survival is in jeopardy
Both Carragher and Neville expressed their concerns when it comes to the survival of promoted teams. Carragher believes that Ipswich, despite opening the new season with a win, will still find it very difficult to get a foothold in the Premier League. He also predicts an immediate return to the Championship for Southampton and Leicester City. Neville, on the other hand, is more pessimistic, believing that all three promoted teams could be relegated this season. He warned, "What worries me is that all three teams will be relegated again, but what worries me more is that the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is widening." He believes this widening gap is a reflection of the growing financial and power gap between Premier League clubs and Championship clubs.
