Richard Keys was involved in heated on-air debate with former Liverpool star Jason McAteer after ripping into the Reds’ silverware chances next season.
Arne Slot’s side have all-but secured the Premier League title after a stellar campaign and can officially clinch the silverware with a win over Tottenham on Sunday night.
However, despite their dominance in the league, there have been a number of concerning aspects of the 2024-25 campaign for Slot and his side.
The Merseyside giants were dumped out of the FA Cup by Plymouth Argyle, the Champions League by PSG and lost the EFL final to Newcastle.
Now, as the season nears it’s conclusion, Keys has ripped into Liverpool’s chances of winning a trophy next year and bemoaned the lack of competition in the title race.
Speaking on beIN Sports, Keys said: ‘It’s not a vintage season, not by any stretch of the imagination and Villa winning in midweek does not prove what a good Premier League we have, it proves what a good Champions League it’s been.
Richard Keys was involved in heated on-air debate over Liverpool’s campaign
Keys clashed with Jason McAteer (middle) as he said Liverpool ‘won’t win anything next year’
Despite their success in the league, Liverpool have failed to clinch another piece of silverware
‘There’s been no challengers to Liverpool all season long. Not from anywhere has there been a challenge. Of course they deserve it, (but) it’s not a vintage season.’
Though Arsenal had been in pursuit of the table-topping Reds earlier in the campaign, Slot’s side now hold a 13-point advantage with just five games remaining.
Keys’ co-pundit McAteer, who made 139 appearances for Liverpool, retorted: ‘What makes it vintage?’
Keys replied: ‘When you get a proper title race, as was the case with Klopp’s team, and City vs Liverpool, toe to toe, three were competing for it (the title) and four were certainly competitive. The top teams this year all of them have gone backwards.’
McAteer responded: ‘If you want to frame it like that. First of all, the history books will just say Liverpool won the title this year. They won’t say how they’ve done it.
‘What I would say is, in the light of how Liverpool have performed in the years have gone by in terms of the Dalglish teams, the Paisley teams, the Fagan teams, you can argue this is not in the same bracket. It’s not as easy on the eye. It’s not been a great watch at times’.
Keys responded: ‘We’ve had three teams relegated since January, no title challenge since November, the whole league has been settled apart from three Champions League places.’
McAteer then interjected to say: ‘What you’re saying is that the Premier League is not that strong, yet we’ve got five teams in European competitions. What are you saying?’
Arne Slot’s side have been leading the Premier League throughout the majority of the season
However, the Reds were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final back in March
He added: ‘I’m saying it’s not a vintage season, and I’ll go further. Liverpool won’t win anything next season.
‘I’m not passing judgement on Liverpool’s title. I’m just saying it hasn’t been a vintage season. There’s been no challenge’.
Keys also suggested that tying Mohammed Salah and Virgil van Dijk down to new deals will not be sufficient for Liverpool as they head into the summer window.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, is expected to depart the club for Real Madrid, given that fact he’s out of contract in the summer.