Roy Hodgson delivers Premier League title verdict amid £280m Liverpool transfer spree

Roy Hodgson delivers Premier League title verdict amid £280m Liverpool transfer spree

The former Liverpool, England and Crystal Palace manager has given his verdict on the upcoming Premier League title race

Roy Hodgson manager of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park on December 9, 2023 (Image: Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images )

Former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson believes the speed at which new signings settle will determine the destination of the Premier League title this term.

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The Reds coasted to the prize in 2024-25, streaking clear at the summit to end Manchester City's run of four consecutive top-flight wins. Arsenal also struggled to mount a meaningful challenge, that despite City's drop off.

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From that position of strength, Liverpool have made major signings already this summer. Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Jeremie Frimpong have all joined for around £200 million in total. Hugo Ekitike is also close to joining the Reds in a deal worth a potential £78 million.

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City, Arsenal and Chelsea are all expected to challenge this season and have all spent big this summer too.

With that in mind, Hodgson thinks the manner in which the new arrivals adapt will be key in settling matters this season, per Hajper.

"I think you would really need a crystal ball to say which of these top five or six teams are gonna have a successful season," he said. "The thing I think that really struck me last season was the teams below that five or six.

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"Let's take Liverpool out of it, let's take City out of it, let's take Arsenal, let's take Chelsea, let's take Newcastle and Aston Villa. Let's just take those out for a second because they are such widely established clubs.

"What really struck me was the Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Brentford, all what those five teams did.

"To get so close, if you like, to that classic top six in the quality of their play and to have such good seasons, all of those clubs. Unfortunately, none of them actually quite made the vault over the top six.

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"But I think that tightening, it's not like the league is only going to be challenged for by one team each year, we've already accepted that it's probably gone to five or six now. I think those five teams I just mentioned, they've compacted the league even more and made it even more difficult for the top ones.

"As far as the top ones are concerned, in my opinion, it will be quite simply a case of how they start, how the new players settle in, how the Club World Cup will affect Chelsea and Man City, it might do slightly.

"Then of course injuries. These are things no one can predict and that's why of course betting companies will always be successful because no one, even however much they study the game, study the team, study the form, it's game. It's not a science football, it's a game.

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"Things happen in the game that you just cannot predict, you cannot compensate for and that's why we will always be interested to see who comes out on top."

Hodgson was appointed as Liverpool manager in the summer of 2010. He was replaced after just six months due to the team's struggles and replaced by Kenny Dalglish.

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