Kevin Kilbane
Only Liverpool are doing enough to topple Pep’s City
THE BIG show in town, as the this new Premier League season kicks off, promises to be the Pep Guardiola/Jurgen Klopp battle. These two enigmatic, brilliant managers will go head-to-head for the title and will dominate the season.
Meanwhile Jose Mourinho has started kicking off again, acting like a petulant child and dragging down everything and everyone associated with Manchester United in the process.
You get the feeling this is the beginning of the end for Mourinho at Old Trafford. The constant jibes and digs at Liverpool and Manchester City for spending more money, his behaviour and demeanour, all mirror the end of his second spell at Chelsea.
If you recall, after winning the Premier League title, he started moaning, the players got fed up with him and Chelsea tumbled down the table the following season. He behaved in the same manner in his last season at Real Madrid too.
His accusations about his main rivals’ spending don’t really have substance. Mourinho has still spent more than £300 million since he arrived at United two years ago and United’s wage bill is the biggest in the Premier League. And don’t forget he joined Manchester United around the same time as Guardiola landed at City.
Yes, he can argue that Liverpool have spent more money this summer, but then look at what has happened to the gifted players already at his disposal. Mourinho has always suppressed players who can produce that little bit of magic, appearing unable to get the best out of them. This is clearly evident at United.
Marcus Rashford is one of the best young English players to emerge in recent years and someone I’ve loved watch develop. But he seemed lost last term when he didn’t play enough.
Then there’s Paul Pogba. I know it was only six games – not a full season – but his performances for France at the World Cup were the last thing the United boss needed.
He simply hasn’t been able to get the same consistency from Pogba at United shirt and the midfielder goes missing in too many games.
I have admired Mourinho for years. His success and record cannot be questioned and they have been built on his tactical brilliance. When teams are evenly matched, he is one of the best coaches in the game at stopping the opposition playing.
His record against the rest of the top six is excellent and in those individual key games, he will continue to find a way to win. The problem comes when teams sit in and United have to break them down because Mourinho will not change. Managing Manchester United needs something different, but he doesn’t get it.
Unless they can invest some serious money this week, the best they can hope for at the moment is a top-four place, at best third. And I’m not so sure Mourinho will be there to see it through. Something is not right and he isn’t trying to hide it.
Guardiola won’t change either and I believe Manchester City will win the league. They took the game to a new level last season and their manager won’t stand still. They opened teams up for fun last term and they’ll do it again this time around. But Liverpool will offer a serious challenge this time.
The improvement for City has to come in the Champions League. It has evaded Guardiola for too long and it will command a lot of his focus this season.
We are on the cusp of seeing Premier League teams dominate the Champions League. With the money available, all four of the English qualifiers are capable of reaching the final and beating the best the rest of Europe has to offer.
Liverpool had the upper hand in their battles with City last season and in the Champions League first leg at Anfield in particular, Guardiola’s men were completely blown away. It was incredible to witness.
So far they have mainly added Riyad Mahrez for £60 million to freshen things up and it will be interesting to see whether Guardiola is prepared to give youth a chance, because players like Phil Foden need game time.
I have seen the youth teams at
City over the last couple of years and they have some incredible footballers. Yes, it is a massive step up to real professional football when it seriously matters and one mistake can have a serious effect on a player’s career.
But Guardiola instils a confidence in his players and some of these young lads are capable of going to a new level with him.
The goalkeeper situation at Liverpool was always going to be an issue this summer, regardless of the Champions League final and Loris Karius’ performance. They needed a good goalkeeper and they have signed one of the best in the world. Let’s see if Alisson can adjust to the Premier League.
I’m glad Klopp wants to be judged on his signings and that he’s not afraid to spend big. If Liverpool are going to challenge Manchester City, big investment is a necessity and it’s interesting that Chelsea were turned down by Alisson and Virgil van Dijk (who also rejected an advanve from City) because of Klopp. Players want to play for him.
Naby Keita is a perfect for Klopp’s plans, Fabinho is a class player while Xherdan Shaqiri is an excellent squad player. Imagine having him as an impact player.
After the Champions League final defeat, Klopp said he looked at the Real Madrid bench, then looked at his own, and saw the massive gulf in class. He has certainly addressed that.
Chelsea’s challenge this season will depend on the outcome of this transfer window. Real Madrid clearly want Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois and, if it all goes really pear-shaped, they could still sign them after the season starts when Chelsea would be unable to sign replacements.
The handling of Antonio Conte’s exit from Chelsea was messy. Everyone knew he would not be staying but it was allowed to drag on for months. Why couldn’t they get an agreement at the end of last season and bring in Maurizio Sarri?
I don’t think Chelsea will be serious contenders and while there is a good chance they will bounce back and qualify for the Champions League, the Europa League campaign could count against them.
Unai Emery brings a whole new style to Arsenal. He inherits some really talented forward players but then creativity has never been a problem. Organisation, discipline and professionalism has been absent for the last 10 to 15 years, perhaps longer.
Emery has a reputation for being a very organised coach and his three Europa League successes with Sevilla were incredible.
He was always up against it at Paris Saint-Germain. Winning the league was a given, but he was dealing with a toxic atmosphere, trying to control Neymar, Daniel Alves and co but, clearly, he didn’t have the reputation to handle them.
However, this is a fresh start at Arsenal and he will bring organisation, fluidity and containment and Arsenal are bound to be strong.
It’s like Groundhog Day At Tottenham. They have exceeded expectations over the last few seasons and have played, arguably, the best football in the Premier League.
But they don’t have the depth in the squad to compete and they haven’t signed anyone.
Harry Kane does seem genuine when he says he wants to stay and break records and that is hugely admirable.
But if he’s going to do that, the club have to do address the issues which are clearly holding them back.