Castles expects Liverpool to drop points before the end of the season

Journalist Duncan Castles believes Liverpool haven’t been playing well lately and could struggle in their final few games this season.

The Reds were often well below par at times this season but still managed to come away with crucial points in their quest to lift the Premier League trophy in May.

But Castles thinks Jurgen Klopp’s side have been riding their luck.

READ: Liverpool weighing up summer transfer move for Hazard

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – APRIL 05: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates with team mates Roberto Firmino of Liverpool and Andy Robertson of Liverpool after scoring their team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at St Mary’s Stadium on April 05, 2019 in Southampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

READ: Liverpool set to enter race with Everton to sign £40million Brazilian forward

“None of [their last five opponents], apart from Huddersfield, are pushovers. And just going back to what I’ve said on multiple occasions, Liverpool aren’t playing very well at the moment,” he said.

“If you look at their last three fixtures, they should have dropped points at Fulham, a goalkeeper deciding he was more interested in doing some wrestling than playing football got them a penalty there.

“Hugo Lloris effectively threw the ball in the net to give them two extra points against Tottenham in a game they could easily have lost, and then at Southampton they go a goal down to a team who probably had the better of the first half, had an opportunity to go 2-0 up and then they get yet another goal from an incorrect refereeing decision to get them back in the match.

“Played well second half, deservedly won in the end, but they could easily have come out of those three fixtures with as little as three points. And if they had dropped points in any of them, then Manchester City are big favourites to win the title.”

He continued: “So until they start playing convincing, dominant football, which they haven’t done with the exception of the Bayern Munich game, this year, I don’t see them as having an easy ride to anything.

“On the strength of the way they’ve been playing, you would expect them to drop points at some stage. Therefore the question becomes: can Manchester City sustain their form? Which is very good.

“They’ve had a succession of matches where their scoring in the first 10 minutes, quite often putting the game to bed in the first half, allowing themselves to rest on the ball, to bring players off, allowing themselves when Sergio Aguero has a muscle strain to immediately come off the pitch and be rested for the next couple of games and reserved for important fixtures.

“Yes, they have tougher games and they have potentially more games to play because of the FA Cup final. If they go further in the Champions League, they could have more games off the back of that – but that’s obviously an impossibility for Liverpool too.

“But they are in a position to win the title at present, in terms of points recorded and games left, and they’re certainly in the position in terms of experience of winning it, depth of squad and playing the better football at present.

“So they’re still in the strongest position as far as I’m concerned.”

The post Castles expects Liverpool to drop points before the end of the season appeared first on AnfieldHQ.

Source: anfieldhq.com