Danny Murphy believes a Liverpool title challenge next season is unrealistic

Danny Murphy -Fulham (Getty Images)

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Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has praised the resurgence of his old club under the management of club legend, Kenny Dalglish, but says the chances of challenging for the title next season may be hard due to the pressure they will be under.

Liverpool thumped Fulham 2-5 on Monday in a game that saw Maxi Rodriguez carry on his purple patch in front of goal by hitting three of the goals.

Murphy says that Liverpool’s rise up the table has partly been because the team has been playing under little pressure.

“Some of Liverpool’s play was top quality,” Murphy told The Guardian.

“Suarez was electric, he caused us all sorts of problems, and although you can be critical of our players, you also have to admire quality when you see it.

“Some of their one-touch football was the Liverpool of old.”

“It’s hard to say whether Liverpool can challenge for the title because they have been playing under very little pressure.

“They haven’t needed to go out and win games, and everything they get now is a bonus.

“It will be a different ask for those players to play under pressure every week if they are near the top, but with Kenny in charge and a few more additions they will be pushing for the top four again.

“I’m surprised they aren’t up there this season but we know they didn’t get a good start.

“If you look at the positives for them, the young lads are coming through, the local lads.

“I thought the young full-back John Flanagan was terrific again tonight, Jay Spearing’s a good player, and if you mix that up with Stevie G Gerrard coming back and some more investment from the Americans, they will be pushing for the top four.”

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Murphy says Dalglish will be under pressure if he doesn’t deliver instant results at the start of next year and has admitted he was wrong about Hodgson moving to Liverpool.

“When Roy Hodgson got the job I thought it was the right thing to do, and I said so publicly, but things didn’t work out for him,” Murphy added.

“Football can change quickly, and when the new season comes round they will have to start well to fight for a Champions League spot – and the pressure will be on if he doesn’t get a few results.

“But the one thing you have got with Kenny is that the supporters back him: when the fans are with you, and they love Kenny so much, you can feel they are behind the players as well.

“Earlier this season, you could sense the players were under pressure every time they gave the ball away because the fans were on their back, but now they are playing with confidence because they know the fans are behind them.

“It doesn’t matter how experienced you are as a player, if you have that support it makes a big difference, and with Kenny being there in the dugout it get the fans onside which, in turn, leads to better performances on the pitch.”