Keita comparisons, Fekir ‘saga’, and why Jose Mourinho and Manchester City have a problem with Liverpool

Liverpool and football are back – and so are our Weekend Verdict podcasts. And our first guest of the new season is the Merseyside Football Reporter for The Telegraph, Chris Bascombe. Chris was at Anfield on Sunday to watch the Reds make an early statement of intent by sweeping aside West Ham United 4-0. The impressive victory served only to heighten the expectation surrounding Jurgen Klopp’s side. But Chris argues the pressure is largely external and, if Liverpool are unable to overhaul Manchester City in the coming months, very little will change at Anfield – and with good reason. Naby Keita was one of the stars of the win over West Ham and we discuss whether the comparisons with N’golo Kante and Andres Iniesta stand up to scrutiny – and whether Nabil Fekir will be ‘missed’ after all. Oh, and why the Fekir ‘saga’ was never a saga in the first place. Squad depth, Daniel Sturridge and the goalkeeping department all get a mention with Chris believing a way to rebuild Loris Karius’ confidence could come down a traditional route. Talk then turns to transfers and the window, which then leads to a discussion about why Jose Mourinho has a bee in his bonnet about Klopp and Liverpool, and why Manchester United’s rivals Manchester City also have a problem with the team tipped to push them closest in the title race. Chris also makes a bold prediction about how many goals and points the Reds will score and accumulate this season. Enjoy. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices