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Steve McManaman believes that England’s ‘big two’ are still the teams to beat in this season’s Champions League, as he backed Liverpool and Manchester City to comfortably beat their round of 16 opponents.
Liverpool will face dangerous German rival RB Leipzig. They sealed their place in the knockout phase ending Manchester United’s interest in the competition last week.
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard’s Chelsea will face Atletico Madrid, which eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League last season.
Manchester City appear to have obtained the best draw of all English clubs when facing Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona is another eye-catching showdown to look forward to in 2021. You can see the complete drawing here.
Bayern Munich, however, have been installed as favorites to retain the trophy.
However, former Liverpool winger McManaman believes that England’s ‘big two’ are the teams to beat in this season’s competition.
“For me, English clubs are favorites to win the Champions League this season,” said McManaman, a two-time winner.
“Bayern Munich are in the mix and they are a very good team. But Liverpool and Manchester City are strong contenders.
“You look at Barcelona and Real Madrid and they have big problems right now.
“So the Italian teams are not strong enough. So Liverpool and City have a real chance to get closer in the Champions League.
“A bit of luck is required at crucial moments in the later stages of the competition. Liverpool didn’t get that against Atlético de Madrid last season.
“I hope they are there in the final part of the Champions League this season. And if Liverpool can have most of their best players fit and available by then, they have a real shot. They are clearly one of the best teams in Europe. “
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Despite winning the 2019 Champions League and ending their 30-year wait for a national title last season, McManaman doesn’t think this current Liverpool side can be considered one of the best in the club at the moment.
Cumulative success is the only way a team can demonstrate its greatness. As such, McManaman suggests that Liverpool have a chance to continue their dominance into the New Year.
“When you play for the big clubs, your mission is to win the Premier League or the Champions League,” he added.
“Liverpool have done it for the last few years. But the biggest clubs and the best teams build on success like that and do it over and over again.
“Can Liverpool retain the title in England this year? If you can. Can they also win the Champions League and do the double? It is possible, but we all know that it is very difficult to achieve it. “
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Liverpool injuries can hit hard
McManaman insists Liverpool’s fate could hinge on their ability to avoid further injury.
“A lot of what happens alongside Liverpool depends on whether they get injured further,” he said.
“As well as they have done to cover the holes that have been exposed in their team this season, they cannot take many more injuries.
“Having lost some key players and because they are so good, they have managed to find a way to win games. That’s even without Alisson, Van Dijk, Henderson, Thiago, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah on different occasions.
“Can they keep winning games if they run out of some of those players and add some more injuries? Possibly not because there is a point where the accumulation of injuries is too much for any team.
“There is no doubt that Liverpool are there to play this year. They are not winning matches every week and have shown some signs of vulnerability, which we did not see last season.
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The BT Sport Monthly Pass allows customers to watch all UEFA Champions League matches over the next 30 days for a simple fee of £ 25 with no contract. For more information, visit bt.com/monthlypass
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