Liverpool won a 20th English league title on Sunday to go level with Manchester United in terms of overall triumphs, and former United star Scholes says he saw it coming from a long way out
Paul Scholes says he knew Liverpool had every chance of winning the Premier League title this season from just the third match of the campaign, as the Manchester United great dismissed the idea that the failings of others were the main reason for the Reds’ success.
Liverpool drew level with their old rivals United on 20 top-flight English league titles with a 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with the victory sparking wild scenes both inside and outside of Anfield.
The win ensured that the Reds became champions with four matches of their season to spare, and Scholes says he had a feeling they could do it when they won 3-0 against his former club at Old Trafford on September 1.
READ MORE: Liverpool star Alisson recalls anguish of missing father’s funeral to be with his pregnant wifeREAD MORE: Jose Mourinho eyes Liverpool transfer raid as new champions plot squad overhaul
“I actually thought Liverpool would have a chance of winning the league when I saw them playing at Old Trafford back in September,’ Scholes told TNT Sports. “I know that Manchester United aren’t in the best shape, but I was really impressed by what I saw from Liverpool.
“There are goals all over the team and I thought if Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson stayed fit, they’d stand a great chance. Even though Alisson missed a few games, Van Dijk was still there and winning the league is an amazing achievement.”
While acknowledging that other title challengers haven’t had the best of seasons, Scholes was quick to downplay the importance of that in Liverpool’s success and still feels that they’d have won the league anyway regardless of how other sides performed.
“They probably haven’t been pushed with the likes of Manchester City not being great this year and with Arsenal drawing too many games,” he said. “But even if they were pushed, I still think they would’ve won the title and gone into another gear.
“In the end, it was quite easy, but it’s still an unbelievable achievement. They looked like the best team in the league for me. Nobody else got anywhere near them, so you have to admire them for that.”
And Scholes believes that, far from United regaining the advantage on the ongoing tussle between the pair for the most league titles, it is much more likely that Liverpool now pull ahead.
He added: “When I retired, Liverpool were only two league titles behind us, so you knew there was always a possibility of it happening, and the way things are now, you’d put money on Liverpool winning it again before United do.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports launches discounted Premier League package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £192 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
