Liverpool will win first Premier League title this season, says John Barnes
Tuesday 3 September 2019 15:12, UK
Liverpool legend John Barnes has backed Jurgen Klopp's team to end their title-drought and finally win the Premier League this season.
Liverpool have never lifted the Premier League, with their last title coming in the old First Division in 1990.
Klopp's side did win the Champions League last season, though, and Barnes believes claiming their first trophy under the German will lead to further success.
He told Sky Sports News: "Last season, as well as Liverpool were playing right to the end, I felt that Manchester City would win the league.
"This year I think Liverpool will win the league. They have this determination, this drive, this confidence now that they've won a trophy with Jurgen Klopp.
"What Klopp has instilled into this team is no excuses. So when teams then give themselves excuses - because players are injured or they've just come back late - they will drop points because they can drop points.
"Klopp won't and he's instilled that into the team and the fans. The players know, regardless of whether they're playing, there are no excuses not to perform. That is Liverpool's strength."
Barnes, who spent ten years as a player at Anfield, also played down the on-field dispute between Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at Burnley last weekend.
Mane reacted angrily after his strike-partner failed to pass him the ball, but Barnes said: "The most important thing is there's no hangover from it, and with Liverpool there won't be.
"He's human and Jurgen Klopp said himself 'these things happen', but there will be no spill-over from that.
"Ideally you don't want that to happen because you don't want to create disharmony, but that's not going to be an issue."
