Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has blasted pundit Paul Merson for his advice to Liverpool.
The former Arsenal and Aston Villa midfielder feels Liverpool should prioritise the Premier League over the Champions League and FA Cup, almost suggesting fielding weakened teams in the other competitions.
Should Liverpool prioritise the league? Five key things to know…
- Liverpool, who have never won the Premier League, are currently four points clear at the top of the table and are in good stead to win the title.
- The 2005 Champions League winners have been in this position before, however, losing Christmas leads in 2008/09 and 2013/14.
- Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson says Liverpool should focus on the Premier League, disregarding the FA Cup and Champions League.
- But Louis van Gaal has slammed Merson, urging Liverpool to ignore the bad advice.
- Liverpool have the best defence in the Premier League this season, conceding just 10 goals in 21 games.
Liverpool have not won a league title in 29 years but are currently four points clear at the top of the Premier League after 21 games and are now favourites to go all the way.
The Reds have previously gone close by finishing as runners-up in the 2008/09 and 2013/14 seasons, with Liverpool still mocked for the latter season and their unceremonious slip-up five years ago.
Taking that into consideration, Merson insisted Jurgen Klopp’s side should focus on the Premier League, so as not to pass up the title.
“The quicker they go out of these competitions, the more of an unbelievable chance they have to win the Premier League,” he told Sky Sports.
“Twenty-nine years now without the league, what an opportunity, you don’t want to keep playing game after game after game.
“They’ve not got the biggest squad in the world. These chances do not come along too often, you win it one year, and the next you’re blown away in 10 games. They’ve got to take that chance.”
These comments did not go down well with Van Gaal, who urged Liverpool to ignore Merson.
Speaking to Dutch TV, as reported by the Mirror, Van Gaal said: “This man is not normal. Liverpool shouldn’t take his bad advice into consideration.”
Who does Van Gaal think will win the Premier League?
As a former manager of Manchester United, it may be hard for Van Gaal to pick between Liverpool and Manchester City to win the Premier League. Spurs, two points behind the reigning champions in third, are also in the conversation.
But the Dutchman did exactly that, tipping Jurgen Klopp’s “machine” to go all the way and end their league title drought.
“Klopp has turned Liverpool into an absolute fighting machine – both attacking and defending,” he said.
“So, if I was to put my money on one club for the league, it would be Liverpool.
“Liverpool’s team is not based on the highest quality when it comes to their players. In fact, the highest quality players are at City. But, at the same time, that is the weakness in Guardiola. He only coaches his teams in an attacking way. Always.
“The moment his team have to defend, they look terrible. Liverpool have a team that can defend much better. That’s because Klopp has trained them to be a fighting force, whether they have the ball or not. That’s exactly what is lacking in Guardiola’s team now.
“City have fabulous football ideas and a sparkling way of playing – but not the right fighting spirit. Don’t get me wrong, I still love to watch the way City play. But the way Klopp makes Liverpool play is absolutely fantastic.”
The post “The man is not normal” – Van Gaal urges Liverpool to ignore Paul Merson’s title advice appeared first on Squawka News.
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