Paul Merson says Liverpool’s next two games against Aston Villa and Man City will define their bid to win the Premier League title.
Speaking exclusively to skysports.com, the Magic Man builds up to a crucial night in the Premier League when league leaders Liverpool look to open up a 10-point gap over Arsenal when they take on Aston Villa at Villa Park on Wednesday.
It’s also a big night for Champions League-chasing Villa. Currently six points off the top four – and five points off fifth place should the Premier League get an extra Champions League spot next season – Unai Emery’s’ side cannot afford to concede any more ground, particularly with a game against Chelsea, live on Sky Sports, coming up on Saturday.
Merson discusses the title race, signs of any Liverpool nerves, Villa’s stop-start season and their hopes of securing Champions League football for a second straight season…
‘Wolves win wasn’t pretty for Liverpool but it doesn’t matter’
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Liverpool’s match against Wolves in the Premier League.
The only thing that is important for Liverpool at this stage of the season is to keep winning.
They were nervy against Wolves. It was obvious to see but what does it matter? They got the job done and won the game.
Liverpool started really, really well against Wolves but I thought this was going to be a difficult game.
They are not flying at the moment, they are not playing at the top of their game, but they are still winning, and that is all that matters.
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Premier League HD”/>‘Villa, City games will define PL title race’
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Gary Neville says Liverpool would have to absolutely fall apart for Arsenal to beat them to the Premier League title this season, and believes Man City are no longer in the running at all.
The game against Aston Villa is a big game. It’s the first of a couple of big games for Arne Slot and his side.
For me, the Premier League title race will be defined in the next two games for Liverpool.
They will define whether Liverpool win the league comfortably or whether it goes right down to the wire.
Trips to Villa Park and the Etihad are never easy and if they come away with a point or a couple of points, I think it would be game on.
But if they got four points from the next two games I think that would virtually be it in terms of the title.
‘It will be nervy but winning is all that matters’
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Liverpool boss Arne Slot admits it’s the first time he’s seen his players look fatigued this season after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Wolves.
It will be nervy for Liverpool. There is no doubt about it.
That is what being in a title race is all about. There is no getting away from that.
After Everton’s last-minute equaliser where you thought you had two hands on the trophy, you will start to get worried. Moments like that will keep happening all the way to the end.
But how you react to that is crucial. It wasn’t pretty but they got over the line against Wolves, and that is all that matters.
‘Liverpool deserve respect’
Arne Slot’s side are aiming to go 10 points clear at the top with a win at Aston Villa
Liverpool have lost one Premier League match this season.
People can talk about easier games or an easier schedule, but everyone has played each other at least once now.
It’s amazing what Liverpool have done this season under Arne Slot.
They’ve topped the Champions League group phase and lost one match in the Premier League.
They deserve plenty of respect for that.
It’s a hard thing to do, win the Premier League. For me, the Champions League is much easier to win than the Premier League.
‘Four points from Villa and City games would make things difficult for Arsenal’
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Gary Neville believes Liverpool’s 2-1 win against Wolves is a glimmer of hope for Arsenal, with the Reds not being able to convincingly win the game having been 2-0 up.
That’s why Arenal are still in the race.
It’s not going to take a massive collapse from Liverpool to lose the initiative, especially with these games coming up at Villa and Man City.
Two draws in these games wouldn’t be the worst results during a season but two points would give Arsenal the chance to close to three, and that’s nothing.
But four points for Liverpool and then it would have to be a massive collapse for them not to win it.
It’s a huge week in the title race.
‘Villa have struggled to build momentum’
Unai Emery’s side failed to beat 10-man Ipswich at Villa Park last Saturday
For Aston Villa, this season has been a bit like after the Lord Mayor’s Show.
They did so well to reach the Champions League last year with a top-four finish but they haven’t really been able to build any momentum this season.
Earlier in the season, they beat Bayern Munich at home in the Champions League but then a few days later Man Utd came to town and they were held to a 0-0 draw. It all fell a bit flat for Villa and the game fizzled out.
That worried me and it’s been the story of the season for Villa in a way. They play in Europe, do well and then struggle to replicate it in the league.
‘Ipswich result a shocker’ | ‘Pressure will mount with defeats to Liverpool and Chelsea’
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Aston Villa’s match against Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
Last weekend was a shocker for Villa. The draw with Ipswich was a really poor result.
They were playing against 10 men and really needed a win, but they just couldn’t find a way through, leaving them in a tricky spot in terms of Champions League qualification.
A win against Ipswich and then two draws against Liverpool and Chelsea, that wouldn’t be a bad return. However, the point against Ipswich has piled the pressure on. Villa now need the minimum of a win from Liverpool and Chelsea.
That’s a big ask.
Defeats to Liverpool and Chelsea will see the pressure crank up on Unai Emery from nowhere really.
‘Rashford and Asensio brought in to get CL football’
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Liverpool boss Arne Slot praised Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford ahead of their match against Aston Villa.
Villa’s struggles with coping with the demands of domestic and European football shows just how hard it is. Newcastle were the same last season.
When you look at what Man City have done and what the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Utd have done over the years, going deep in European tournaments and staying at the top domestically, you can see how hard that is from Villa and Newcastle.
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Marcus Rashford looked like his old self after coming on at half time for Aston Villa against Ipswich.
The signings Villa have made in Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, who are not going to be on a youth training scheme in terms of wages, they are expecting to be back in the Champions League again next season.
Those players have been brought in to make sure they come at least fifth in the league.
‘Questions will be asked if Villa fail to get CL football’
Aston Villa are without win in four Premier League games
If they don’t qualify for the Champions League people will start to ask questions.
They will ask questions about the deal to sell Jhon Duran. They will want to know why Villa sold him.
I get the profit, but could he have helped fire them to Champions League qualification?
This is Aston Villa who have won nothing for a long, long time. When you get good players, you have to make sure you keep them and not just sell them for profit.
It does work if they can finish the season on a high and push up the league. It works as good business then, but it’s a fine line. A limp finish and the questions will start to mount.
