Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has echoed the beliefs of Jose Mourinho by claiming Liverpool are emerging as a major threat to win this season’s Premier League title, ESPN reports.
Liverpool are in the mix for the biggest prize in English football after a strong run of results in recent weeks and currently sit in fourth place, four points off leaders Chelsea.
Following their FA Cup elimination to Arsenal, Brendan Rodgers’ side now only have the Premier League to focus on. Arsenal have FA Cup and Champions League games on their horizon as they look to sustain their own title push and Wenger admitted a lighter schedule could play to Liverpool’s advantage.
“Liverpool is in the race and they have an advantage because it’s the only competition they play,” Wenger said. “Overall, it will be very tight, I hope until the end because that means it will be close until the end and if you are consistent, you will have a good chance to win it.”
However, following their recent Champions League loss at home to Bayern Munich, Wenger may now be forced to focus solely upon achieving a domestic double rather than the slim hopes of European success.
Both Arsenal and Manchester City, who lost to Barcelona in their opening leg, find themselves two goals down to their respective opponents ahead of the second legs away from English soil.
Furthermore, Manchester United’s defeat at Olympiakos and Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Galatasaray has fuelled the suspicion that England’s best clubs are no longer contenders for the Champions League crown.
However, Wenger insist the Premier League is not suffering from a slide in standards, despite the failure of all four English teams to record victories in the first legs of their Champions League last-16 ties and urged caution when discussing that particular trend.
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