'Really believe that': Alan Shearer predicts Liverpool's chances of winning the Champions League this season

Today at 11:30 AM

Liverpool have their eyes on the biggest prizes this season after a flying start to the campaign.

The Reds have picked up various bits of silverware over the past couple of years but are dreaming of bigger things under Arne Slot.

It’s still early days, of course, and no one should be getting ahead of themselves. But things are very rosy indeed at Anfield.

After 10 Premier League games they sit top of the table having won eight out of ten. In the Champions League they’ve won four out of four.

Wins over AC Milan, Bologna, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen have put Liverpool top of the new-look League Phase in Europe’s premier competition and talk has consequently turned to whether they can win the whole thing.

According to the Premier League’s all-time top scorer Alan Shearer, there is absolutely no doubt that they’ll be right up there.

Alan Shearer makes Liverpool Champions League prediction

Although it does not feel so long ago, it is now more than five years since Liverpool last won the Champions League.

Given that they went 14 years in between winning their last two and a further 21 years prior to the one before that, that is not such a long stretch.

In the meantime, Liverpool have been competitive. They reached the final in 2022 and were beaten by Kings of Europe Real Madrid in each of their last three appearances in the competition. That’s unlucky.

And speaking on The Rest Is Football having been at Anfield to witness Liverpool dismantle Leverkusen on Tuesday, Shearer predicted that the Reds will be right up there again this year.

READ MORE: Alan Shearer answers whether there’s ‘too much hype’ over Arne Slot and Liverpool

“There’s no doubt in my mind Liverpool are challengers for that competition, because anyone going to Anfield will have a really, really tough game,” said the 54-year-old.

“When you’ve got that backing [from the crowd] and you can back it up with very, very good players.

“They’re not going to go away Liverpool and they’re one of the favourites for that competition, I really believe that. And for the Premier League.”

Who have Liverpool got left to play?

Although Shearer may well ultimately be right about this, it still feels early to be jumping the gun.

Liverpool have a squad littered with players who have won the Champions League before, but in Slot they have a head coach who is still inexperienced in the competition.

Last season was his first foray into it, as Feyenoord crashed out of a group containing Atletico Madrid, Lazio and Celtic.

Things have obviously gone better this time around for Slot, but it remains to be seen how the Dutchman handles those big knockout games against enormous sides.

Before they get there, though, Liverpool have four more games to navigate in the League Phase. Real Madrid are next up and that will be a test of Slot’s Champions League chops. Then come Girona, Lille and PSV Eindhoven.