Glen Johnson: ‘Liverpool are favourites to win the Premier League title’
With Liverpool opening up a five point gap at the top of the Premier League table, their former defender Glen Johnson has claimed that Arne Slot’s side are the current favourites to win the title this season, but believes it’s “too early” to write off Manchester City and Arsenal. In an exclusive interview with Betfred, Glen told us why he believes Liverpool should fight with Manchester City for the signing of Martín Zubimendi, why he believes Viktor Gyökeres will end up at Manchester United and how Edu’s departure from Arsenal could “hinder” Mikel Arteta.
After this weekend’s results, do you believe there’s a new favourite in the Premier League title race?
“Yes, as of today and in terms of the gap. It was obviously a huge weekend for Liverpool as all the results went their way. Manchester City have shown that they’re not untouchable, but they’re lucky that those four consecutive defeats haven’t solely happened in the league, otherwise I would have said that the title race is over.
“This weekend saw a big step forward for Liverpool and they’re proving to be the most consistent team in the Premier League.”
With Arsenal being further away from Liverpool than Manchester City, would you say that they’re out of the title race already?
“I think it’s too early to write anybody off, but they’re going to have to go on a big run now if they’re to crawl it back. If they come out of the Christmas period still nine points behind, then I’d say they’re out of it. Liverpool would have to lose four or five games realistically for them to do that, which is unlikely. Nine points is a huge gap, but Arsenal are capable of going on a winning streak, so you just don’t know what’s going to happen.
“Nobody would have predicted Liverpool to be this far ahead three weeks ago, so that proves how quickly things can change. Arsenal need to find their game and in a few weeks time, if the gap’s still nine points, then I’d say they’re out of the title race.”
If there’s a chance that Arsenal can get themselves back into title contention, then do you believe your former club Chelsea could force their way into the title race as they currently have the same amount of points as the Gunners?
“Chelsea would bite your arm off to finish in the top four this season. There’s four teams currently on 19 points but let’s face it, they’re not all going to go on a title run. I’d be surprised if Chelsea went on a seven or eight game winning streak and put themselves in the title race, but if they continue to perform under the radar and have a good run, then anything’s possible.
“I don’t think they’ll be able to match Liverpool, but there are good signs that the club is moving in the right direction.”
What do you believe has specifically been going wrong for Manchester City recently?
“The obvious thing is their injuries at present. They’ve lost a lot of players but they do probably have the best squad in world football, so you’d think that they’d cope with that.
“A bit of that killer instinct seems to be missing. I say this with no disrespect to Brighton, but the game was too easy for Manchester City in the first-half and it looked as if they took their foot of the gas a little bit when they should have killed the game off.
“Anybody’s beatable and if you don’t take teams seriously, then you’re at risk of losing. Before this run of form, they would have beaten Brighton four or five nil, but without that killer instinct they were unable to.”
Do you believe Liverpool have the chance to kill Manchester City’s title ambitions when the two sides face each other at Anfield on December 1st?
“It would certainly be a big nail in the coffin for Manchester City, that’s for sure. It would be soul destroying for City. Even if Liverpool win that game, I wouldn’t say that the title race is definitely over, but it may make City’s players think that they can’t compete with Liverpool and it could affect them going forward into the remainder of the campaign. Mathematically it wouldn’t be over, but mentally it could well be.”
Can you see Liverpool slipping up at any point in the title race?
“At the moment, I can’t. I’m not saying that they’re going to win every game, but there could be a time when they could afford to lose the odd game if they’ve got a big enough gap over the rest of the other teams competing for the title.
“Against Aston Villa, the most impressive thing was that they were still able to win comfortably despite not playing that well. If you want to be champions, you’ve got to find a way to win games when you’re not playing your best. If they’re doing that now, then it’s hard to imagine them slipping up because they’ve clearly got more to offer. They just need to keep their head down and go about their business quietly.”
Manchester City are said to be interested in Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi, as they look to cope with Rodri’s absence. Zubimendi almost joined Liverpool in the summer and considering the emergence of Ryan Gravenberch in your former club’s number six role, do you believe there’s no need for them to join Manchester City in the race to sign the Euro 2024 winner?
“I wouldn’t say that Liverpool don’t need him because he’s obviously a world-class player and it would be a problem if he went to Manchester City from Liverpool’s point-of-view. When players like him are available, then you need to beat your rivals to his signature.
“Gravenberch’s doing a great job, but he could possibly do a better job going forward, so if Liverpool also have the opportunity to sign Zubimendi, then they need to because they won’t want him to move to Manchester City and it may be their only opportunity to sign him, so if they still have the chance to sign him, they should.”
Are you concerned at all by Darwin Núñez’s low conversion rate in front of goal for Liverpool or do you believe it will improve gradually over time?
“I don’t think it’s anything to be concerned about. He’s a pain in the backside for all defenders in the Premier League. He’s not an out-and-out goalscorer but for me, he should be one of the first names on Liverpool’s teamsheet. He creates so much havoc and so much space for his teammates, which is why they get the goals. He’s always in the right areas to score and that’s why we talk about him missing chances, but it would be more of a worry if he wasn’t getting the chances. He’ll miss a chance and then go and score a worldie, so he’s evidently got that ability in him and I don’t see where the criticism is coming from to be honest because I believe Liverpool are a much better side when he’s in it and I’m pretty sure that his teammates will say the same.”
Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal are heavily linked with a move for Mohamed Salah. Do you expect Mo to move to Saudi if he decides to leave Liverpool in the summer?
“I hope not because he’s shown that he still has a lot to give at the highest level. If he went, then we’d know why. I still believe he could do another few years at Liverpool or another top team, but the only person who knows what’s going to happen next is Mo. It all depends on how much passion and desire he’s still got and looking at his performances, he seems to still have plenty of both. I believe a move to Saudi Arabia is a bit too soon for him.”
Considering his recent form, do you believe Liverpool should pay Mo Salag whatever he wants to keep him at Anfield?
“I don’t believe a club should pay a player whatever they want because it sets a bad precedent for everybody else, but I don’t believe Mo is that sort of person anyway that would set crazy demands. He seems like a good, honest lad and I don’t believe the finances would be an issue for him. He’s maybe not as good as he’s ever been, but that’s still a credit to him because of how high he’s set the bar. He’s still up there with the best, that’s for sure. If Liverpool have the chance to keep him for another 18 months or two years, then they should.”
Liverpool are reportedly ready to bid £50 million for Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni. Do you believe the France international is the best number six on the market that your former club can realistically attract?
“I don’t know if he’s the best pound-for-pound, but he’s definitely the best for £50 million. I know it’s an awful lot of money but in football, £50 million isn’t too expensive these days for big names. For a player that’s played at the level he has, put in the performances he has, then if you can sign him for £50 million, I can’t see who you’re going to buy better than him in that position.”
In your opinion, are Liverpool the favourites to win the Champions League this season?
“I don’t know. It’s always going to be the big guns that go far in the competition and a lot can happen between now and the final. Liverpool are so consistent at the moment and to win the Champions League, I believe they’ll have to raise their game slightly. However, they seem to do that when the big teams come to town and if they won the competition, it wouldn’t surprise me. Right now, it’s very tough to call who’s going to win it.”
Is Pedro Neto beginning to show everybody how important he can be for this Chelsea side? You previously told us that you believed he was the best signing of the summer window.
“Now he’s playing more regularly for Chelsea, we’re starting to see just how good he can be for the club. He’s a threat going forward and defensively he gets back and helps out his full-back. Against Arsenal, he made a few mistakes, but his reaction to those mistakes would have been exactly what his manager wanted to see. His workrate is through the roof. This is why Chelsea signed him and now he’s starting more regularly, we're beginning to see the best of him. Fair play to him for being patient.”
And do you believe Moisés Caicedo is beginning to justify the amount of money Chelsea spent on him to bring him to Stamford Bridge from Brighton?
“Over the last few weeks and months, this is definitely the best we’ve seen of him in a Chelsea shirt. He’s beginning to live up to the big reputation he had before he joined the club and his performances have been much, much better. I still believe that he has a lot more to give, but you can see now why the club wanted him in the first place and what all the fuss was about.”
Do you believe Chelsea could take a step forward next season and actually become Premier League title challengers?
“They’ve clearly taken a step forward with the new manager. Expecting Enzo Maresca to compete so early is unlikely, but if they can keep doing what they’re doing this season and try and nick third or fourth, then that’s a huge step forward and then hopefully they can kick on next season and be right there with the big guns as some of them have shown inconsistencies. The manager at that point would have spent a year at the club, the younger players would be more experienced and have a better idea of what the Premier League’s about and then it could be time for them to shine as well.
“Chelsea have got a very good squad and if they keep putting one foot in front of the other, then I don’t see them being too far away next season.”
After Rúben Amorim’s appointment at Manchester United, they’ve been linked with a move for Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyökeres, who has scored 66 goals in 68 games since joining the club. Chelsea have been linked with the £63 million rated striker too, so do you believe they should, and could, aim to beat their Premier League rivals to the Swedish forward’s signature?
“You can see why teams want to sign him. Scoring that amount of goals in Portugal doesn’t mean that he’ll necessarily repeat that in the Premier League, but there’s not many players that can replicate the type of goalscoring form that he’s been showing at Sporting Lisbon. It’s very impressive.
“If Manchester United want him and with Rúben Amorim going there, then I don’t believe any other club will be in the race to sign him because he’ll want to follow the manager that’s got the best out of him. Manchester United is a big, big club and it will be hard for him to turn down the chance of reuniting with Amorim. You can see why they’d want him.”
Inter Milan and Barcelona are both linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández. How would you judge Enzo’s time at the club so far? Do you believe he’s failed to live up to the hype?
“We’ve seen him put in good performances and then he’ll go missing for a couple of games. £100 million players don’t do that, so I wouldn’t say he’s been a successful signing to date. He’s obviously a fantastic player and if Chelsea had signed him for £30-£40 million, then we’d all be saying he was a great signing.
“With that price-tag on his head, as soon as he doesn’t start performing to the standard expected, then people are going to talk about it. His performances recently have been better, but I don’t believe that warrants what the club paid for him. He should be controlling games.”
Rúben Amorim reportedly wants to bring Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku to Manchester United. Do you believe this is a move that Nkunku would like to pursue or do you believe he’s better off at Stamford Bridge?
“His start to life at the club was quite tough when he suffered his injury and we don’t know if he’s fully over that yet. In spells, we’ve seen some really good stuff from him and as Chelsea are going in the right direction, he would be mad to jump ship now. They’re in a much better position now and if he can get fit and get himself in the starting eleven, then Chelsea have a good player on their hands. He just doesn’t look fully fit yet.”
Do you believe Manchester United have made the right choice in appointing Rúben Amorim? Do you have any reservations over his appointment or do you believe their league rivals are going to be worried?
“Time will tell if he’s the right man or not, but I certainly believe he has good pedigree in terms of his age and what he’s done. If he’s the right man, then their rivals will have a problem because Manchester United will be back, but time will tell.
“It’s not an easy job and there’s been a lot of experienced managers that have gone to Manchester United and not been able to turn it around. It’s going to be tough and I have no idea how it’s going to go, but I guess he can’t do any worse from Manchester United’s point of view.
“I think he’s worth taking a shot on. Young mind, young brain, new ideas and if the players are excited, enjoying training and working hard, then that’s when you see teams bounce back. I think they can only go upwards really, so I think it was a shot worth taking.”
Are you worried for Mikel Arteta’s future at Arsenal in the long-term? Do you believe he’s really under pressure to deliver a major trophy this season?
“I’m not worried about his position because I still believe that he’s done an amazing job. They’ve been competing for a couple of years now and they look the real deal more times than not, so I don’t believe his position is under threat. However, if they don’t put up a title challenge this season and finish fourth or fifth, then I do believe they’ll have to win one of the remaining trophies on offer to them. If they finish fourth or fifth and win a trophy, then I believe that would be acceptable. However, if they don’t lay a glove on Liverpool and finish fourth or fifth, without winning a trophy too, then I believe he’ll come under pressure.”
Do you believe the departure of Edu, who’s supposedly a close ally of Mikel, could have implications over the manager’s future?
“I’m pretty sure that Mikel Arteta doesn’t want him to go. I believe that Arteta likes to be hands-on and to be able to do that, you need to have the right people around you and not many people know the club better than Edu.
“They’ve spent a lot of money, they’ve been challenging and everything’s seemingly gone in the right direction, so Edu could be a big loss. It’ll be hard to get somebody into that role that loves and cares about Arsenal as much as him. I think his departure will hinder Arteta, but these are problems that you’ve got to face in football.”
