JOSE MUST HOLD HIS TONGUE

MARTIN KEOWN AND CHRIS SUTTON ON MOANING MOURINHO, SARRI’S CHALLENGE AND LIFE AFTER WENGER

SURELY NO ONE CAN TAKE THE TITLE FROM CITY?

KEOWN: Liverpool have City’s card marked. They were the first team to beat them in the Premier League and saw them off twice in Europe.

What they lacked was the consistency to mount a title challenge but have spent a fortune to close their 25-point gap on City.

I feel Jurgen Klopp is on a journey. I played against the Liverpool sides of the late Eighties and they would steamroller their opponents, particularly at Anfield. That is what Klopp’s teams do.

I recently watched the excellent BBC documentary shankly:

nature’s Fire. His teams played for the people and it is the same with Klopp. He is wired in to the emotion of the Merseyside fans.

He has strengthened every compartment of his team. Andrew Robertson and Virgil van Dijk filled the gaps in defence. Now he has added quality in midfield with Naby Keita and Fabinho and spent a worldrecord fee for a goalkeeper.

Toppling Pep Guardiola will take some doing but City’s goal will be to win the Champions League. So fierce is the competition that I cannot see one team winning both the league and European Cup.

There is not the same pressure at Anfield. Maybe, just maybe, this could be their year.

SUTTON: City won’t rack up 100 points but the title is staying at the Etihad. I just cannot look past their strength in depth.

John Stones looked right at home at the World Cup and he ended the season as City’s fourth choice centre back. Leroy Sane, one of their most lethal weapons, has had his feet up all summer. He’ll be desperate to show why Germany should have picked him.

City’s football is breathtaking. Their players know what it feels like not just to be champions but to utterly dominate and Guardiola won’t take his foot off the pedal.

Do Liverpool know how to beat City? Yes. Will their spending make it a tighter title race? Yes. Are they consistent enough to topple City? I’m not so sure.

IS MOURINHO HEADING FOR A MELTDOWN?

SUTTON: I said recently that if Jose Mourinho carries on with these outbursts, he is in danger of being out of a job before Christmas.

Manchester United have gone from runners-up to complete turmoil. He’s been telling us that his side aren’t good enough, moaned about the lack of signings and risked upsetting Paul Pogba.

How can anything positive come from this? United are the side most in danger of dropping out of the top four. If they get off to a bad start there will be more infighting, more moods, more outbursts and that is only going to end one way.

KEOWN: I wish someone could help Mourinho hold his tongue. He has invited this scrutiny by drawing attention to his team’s poor performances. It’s only pre- season! Arsenal beat PSG 5-1 but no one is saying they will be champions.

Working for someone who is never satisfied is difficult. Mourinho’s personal quest for greatness seems to be suffocating his players.

Pogba was excellent in the World Cup final but could have easily been dropped after a below-par display against Australia in the group stage. Didier Deschamps stuck by him, backed him and he grew through the tournament.

From day one at Chelsea, Mourinho said Frank Lampard was a world beater — and he then started playing like one. United have a formidable group of players but Mourinho needs to learn how to love them.

WHAT ARE ARSENAL’S REALISTIC AMBITIONS?

KEOWN: It may be all change but there will always be expectation. Unai Emery is a succesful manager who is not here to finish fifth. I’m not saying they are ready for a title challenge but the top four has to be the objective.

I’ve been impressed with Emery. He has worked his players hard in pre- season. Arsenal’s away form was embarrassing but they will have a better balance this year. They have a warrior in Sokratis while Lucas Torreira can bring bite to the midfield.

Unlike their rivals, Arsenal only had one player in the World Cup semi-finals. City had seven. When they travel to the Emirates on Sunday the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Raheem Sterling may be unavailable.

Arsenal will not have a better chance to beat the all-conquering champions. Do so, and they could steal a march on their rivals.

SUTTON: The top four will be their goal but the Europa League may prove the more attractive route into the Champions League. Emery won the competition three times with Sevilla, and Arsenal don’t look stronger than last season’s top four. Sixth is not good enough for this club. Even if they finish in that position again, the season will still be viewed as a success if performances improve.

SPURS’ NEW HOME... A HELP OR HINDRANCE?

KEOWN: It will be a massive help. They don’t want to be at Wembley for any longer than they need to be. Opening the new ground against Liverpool will be great theatre. The stadium will have a galvanising effect on the club.

SUTTON: Tottenham dropped just four points in their last season at White Hart Lane and this ground will become a similar fortress. The only thing I don’t get about the stadium is the microbrewery and artisan bakery. What’s wrong with a good old pie and pint?

WILL SARRI SINK OR SWIM AT CHELSEA?

KEOWN: Managerial change is commonplace at Chelsea but after arriving with only a month to go until the start of the season, Maurizio Sarri has it all to do.

Not only have his squad had little time to adapt to his 4-3-3 system, most of Chelsea’s World Cup stars have only just returned.

Should it all click they will be mouthwatering to watch. Antonio Conte is a serial winner but his side had become too predictable. Sarri has huge experience but he’ll need to use all of it if Chelsea are to hit the ground running.

SUTTON: Chelsea’s season hinges on Eden Hazard. He is so influential and Wilfried Zaha at Crystal Palace is the only player whose departure would be as damaging for one club.

Hazard was unplayable at times last season. Should he leave, getting back into the top four will be

‘This weekend is Arsenal’s best chance of beating City’

an uphill struggle. Once again, Roman Abramovich will be expecting Chelsea to push but I cannot see Sarri having the same instant impact as Conte two years ago.

WILL ENGLISH PLAYERS GET MORE OF A CHANCE?

KEOWN: If I was one of our World Cup stars, I would cut my holiday short. Stones had an excellent tournament but had only played twice for Manchester City since March. He faces stiff competition from Nicolas Otamendi, Aymeric Laporte and Vincent Kompany for a place.

SUTTON: I saw Ruben LoftusCheek has already gone back to Chelsea. He knows it is on the training pitch where he can prove that he should be picked ahead of Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Cesc Fabregas. Managers will go for the players who they believe give them the best chance of winning. It’s up to the English players to show why they deserve to be selected.

WHICH HOTSHOT WILL WIN THE GOLDEN BOOT?

SUTTON: If Harry Kane stays fit it’s no contest. What makes him so difficult to face is that he is always one step ahead of the defenders. He now scores as many goals with his left foot as his right. I can’t see Mo Salah repeating last season’s extraordinary numbers. To remain as prolific then, like Kane, he must keep developing his game.

KEOWN: Kane is the safe bet but don’t rule out Arsenal’s PierreEmerick Aubameyang. He scored 10 in 13 after joining in January and posted similar figures to Kane in his last three years at Dortmund.

PREDICT THE TOP FOUR...

KEOWN: I’m going to put my neck on the line and say Liverpool to win it, followed by City, Spurs and United. But Arsenal and Chelsea can sneak in.

SUTTON: City will win the title with Liverpool second. It’s too close to call between the next four but Tottenham will finish third and United fourth... just.