Gary Neville Changes Tune After Liverpool Title Win

Predictions that Aged Poorly

It’s never easy to admit you got it wrong, but Gary Neville may need to get used to it when it comes to Liverpool. The former Manchester United captain is no stranger to bold predictions, but his comments last season suggesting Liverpool wouldn’t make the top four now look almost comically wide of the mark.

Liverpool didn’t just prove Neville wrong. They obliterated his forecast with a league-winning campaign under new boss Arne Slot. In what was meant to be a transitional season, the Reds played with purpose, pace and precision, ending up Premier League champions once more.

Neville’s original remarks now hang in the air like a poorly judged back pass. His assertion that the Reds would finish fifth was swiftly buried by a squad that didn’t just compete, they conquered.

Softer Tone Emerges

On the It’s Called Soccer podcast, hosted on the US Overlap channel, Neville took a noticeably softer stance when previewing the upcoming campaign. “I’ve got to go Arsenal again [to win the Premier League], I’ve got to double down, haven’t I?” he said, referring to his previous forecasts.

“I’ve gone there the last two seasons and they finished second in the last three seasons, actually. I didn’t back them the first season, I backed City, but I backed them the last two and I’m going to stick with them.”

What that statement glosses over is Liverpool’s title triumph in the most recent campaign, something that might deserve a little more recognition from a pundit once so quick to dismiss their chances.

Praise for Transfer Strategy

Credit where it’s due, Neville didn’t stop at merely acknowledging Liverpool’s existence this time. He offered genuine praise for the club’s summer business, highlighting some of the strategic moves in the market.

“Signing Wirtz is fantastic. Frimpong and then there’s talk of Kerkez as well, deals with their right and left-back situations,” he said.

He went further: “To get those three done, if they were to get those three done quite quickly, would be smart business. But I wouldn’t have expected anything else from Liverpool.”

It’s a world away from the previous tone—one that all but wrote off the Anfield side’s ambitions before a ball had been kicked last season.

Momentum Carries into New Campaign

Now, with another season fast approaching and Liverpool arguably stronger, Neville may be regretting ever ruling them out. His current focus on Arsenal, despite Liverpool finishing above them, seems more like stubborn loyalty than objective analysis.

Still, the message is clear: write Liverpool off at your peril. Under Arne Slot, the team has not only maintained the intensity built under Jürgen Klopp, but added tactical flexibility and squad depth. The additions of Wirtz and Frimpong hint at a side planning not just to defend their title, but to dominate.

If Liverpool do go back-to-back, expect Neville’s predictions to come with a little more caution next time.