Peter Crouch names Premier League club as ‘strong favourites’ to win Champions League
Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch believes Arne Slot’s side have to be considere
The ‘strong favourites’ to win สมัครสมาชิก UFABET วันนี้ รับเครดิตฟรีทุกวัน this year’s Champions League after their perfect start in the competition.
Liverpool defeated ten-man Lille in their previous contest to book their place in the last 16, with Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott getting on the scoresheet at Anfield.
The Merseyside giants sit three points clear at the top of the table ahead of this evening’s final round of group-stage fixtures and Slot’s men will no doubt be desperate to keep their 100 per cent record intact against PSV Eindhoven.
Barcelona are the only other team to have secure themselves a spot in the top eight, which guarantees a clash with one of the eight sides that advance from February’s playoffs.
Meanwhile, Manchester City – European champions in 2023 – are languishing down in 25th and must beat Club Brugge tonight if they are to keep their hopes alive.
‘Liverpool are strong favourites,’ ex-England forward Crouch said on That Peter Crouch Podcast.
‘Barcelona have got to get a mention, Bayer Leverkusen are tough to beat, good side.’
Looking ahead to Liverpool’s trip to PSV, Crouch added: ‘I’m going to go for Liverpool, 3-0.’
Crouch believes Liverpool are more than capable of beating anyone on their day and should be ‘excited’ to discover their opponents for the next phase of the competition.
‘I think there was more of a nervousness around the group stages. It was like, “We need to get through at all costs”, and then it was the excitement of the draw,’ Crouch said, looking back on his own playing days.
You’d want a winnable draw, certainly early on, get to the quarter-finals and then anything can happen.
‘Even if you get one of the big ones, you’re like, “Yeah, this is what it’s all about!”
‘I remember being at Liverpool training and the draw would have at about 11:30am, running back in and seeing who we got. We drew out Barcelona that year I think.’
Germany last week, Michael Ballack also picke out Liverpool as his favourites to get their hands on the trophy.
‘Judging by their performances so far, Real Madrid are not my top favourite,’ the former Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Germany midfielder said.
‘That would be Liverpool, who are currently dominating the Champions League.
‘I was positively surprise by how Arne Slot manage the transition after the Jurgen Klopp era came to an end.
‘It is always twice as difficult when you follow greats like Klopp or somebody like Jose Mourinho at my former club Chelsea, who achieved something unique.
‘I see Atalanta as the secret favourite. They have a clear plan offensively and defensively and dominated Bayer Leverkusen in last year’s Europa League final.’