Gary Neville and Roy Keane risk humiliation with comments before Premier League season

Gary Neville and Roy Keane have risked their pre-season predictions coming back to haunt them by suggesting that Liverpool will not qualify for the Champions League. The former Manchester United duo believe Arne Slot has plenty of work to do before the Reds can challenge Manchester City and Arsenal again.

Neville insists Jurgen Klopp’s departure could have a detrimental impact on Liverpool’s chances of qualifying for Europe. He believes the Anfield outfit may even finish outside the top six after losing such a key figurehead.

Asked if Liverpool will finish in the top four this season, Neville told the Stick To Football podcast: “Not sure. My surprise is Liverpool won’t finish in the top six.”

Pressed further, the former defender continued: “Is there a risk with what Klopp got out of that group last season, is there a risk that Liverpool just purely because of what happened with other clubs where managers of that ilk, is there a risk they could tank?”

Keane added that reinforcements are needed to ensure Liverpool are strong enough to compete at the top of the Premier League. The Reds are understood to be keen on another defender and a midfielder.

Quizzed on whether he agreed with Neville, Keane responded: “Yes I think so, unless they get a couple of signings in the next few weeks.”

Liverpool are reported to have missed out on signing defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. The Premier League side were understood to be confident that the Spain international would agree to join them in a £51m deal.

However, Zubimendi snubbed the opportunity to move to Merseyside and the 25-year-old is now expected to remain with his current club until the end of the season. Neville believes missing out on such a major target could have repercussions among the Reds’ squad.

He said: “It won’t have helped the changing room losing out on that player, I don’t think. The older players will be thinking ‘what’s going on here?’.

“It will unnerve you when you miss out on a player you think you’re going to get.”

Slot has taken his time to assess the squad he inherited from Klopp before suggesting improvements to the Liverpool hierarchy. The Dutchman, who was prised from Feyenoord, is yet to make a signing despite being linked with a host of top talent.