Stuart Pearce has said that if Liverpool can win their next three league games – against Tottenham, Southampton and Chelsea – they will win the Premier League title.
He also singled out centre-back Virgil van Dijk for praise and said he was “potentially player of the year”.
Talking on Sky Sports News (Monday, 3.30pm) Pearce looked at the remaining fixtures for both Liverpool and Man City before making his prediction.
“Van Dijk for Liverpool, potentially player of the year, potentially,” Pearce said.
“The lift he’s given Liverpool… obviously on and beyond him the goalkeeper behind him too, they’ve strengthened the Liverpool defence and made Liverpool… well, one defeat in 31 games is quite incredible.
“If they get beyond Chelsea on April 14th and they’ve won those three games [Tottenham, Southampton, Chelsea], the title’s theirs for me.”
OPINION
Both Liverpool and Man City have got some tough games between now and the end of the season. Man City have got Crystal Palace away, Tottenham at home and then Man United away. Liverpool’s toughest games come next, hosting Tottenham on Sunday before travelling to Southampton and then welcoming Chelsea to Anfield. The games after that (Cardiff, Huddersfield, Newcastle and Wolves) are all very winnable and Pearce could be onto something here. The big thing for Liverpool is that they get their tough games out of the way first and maximum points will really heap the pressure on Man City. The Man United game in particular could be a title-decider and you wouldn’t want to go to Man United having to win. Both Liverpool’s toughest games, against Tottenham and Chelsea, are at Anfield, which is another big boost for Klopp’s men. Are Liverpool on the brink of making history?