Michael Owen’s Bold Claim: Liverpool Remain Premier League’s Best, Despite Current Form
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has thrown a curveball into the Premier League title race, asserting that the Reds are still the “best team in the Premier League,” even though they currently sit sixth in the standings. Owen, a Ballon d’Or winner who donned the Liverpool jersey nearly 300 times between 1996 and 2004, believes that on their day, Arne Slot’s side is unmatched, despite their struggles this season.
This assertion comes as Liverpool find themselves 19 points adrift of current leaders Arsenal, who are in strong contention to retain the title they secured in the 2024-25 campaign. Owen, speaking on the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show, acknowledged the league position but argued that a team’s true quality isn’t always reflected in the current standings.
“Personally, I think they’re the best team in the Premier League,” Owen stated. “People will laugh, like, ‘Where are they? Sixth in the league?’ They trounced the league last season, they’re just not playing well. But if you get the best performance out of every team in the Premier League and say, ‘Right, go on. Your best against your best’. I think Liverpool are the best team.”
Owen expressed his personal frustration at witnessing Liverpool’s dip in form this campaign, especially considering the calibre of players like Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, and Florian Wirtz who have reportedly been added to an already title-winning squad.
“It’s hard to believe that they’re worse now,” he continued. “But I just think it’s a matter of time, maybe next season, before you see them at their very top again.”
He was quick to draw a distinction between Liverpool’s potential and Arsenal’s current standing. “Arsenal I think will go on to win the league,” Owen conceded. “But you can’t tell me they’re as good as, or even close to Liverpool last season. I think Liverpool have got it in them – they’re just not doing it consistently.”
The Arsenal Debate: Set-Piece Prowess vs. Beautiful Football
Owen’s comments echo a growing sentiment and debate surrounding Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. The Gunners have faced criticism in recent weeks, with their impressive run of form being attributed by some to an over-reliance on set-pieces. This discussion has even prompted a response from Liverpool boss Arne Slot himself.
Slot recently commented on the intense focus on corners and free-kicks in the Premier League, suggesting it has made matches “not a joy to watch.”
“You have to accept it,” Slot said. “I think it’s mainly here in the Premier League. If I watch other leagues, I don’t think there’s so much emphasis on set-pieces. Do I like it? My football heart doesn’t like it. If you ask me about football, I think about the Barcelona team from 10, 15 years ago. Every Sunday evening you were hoping they would play.”
However, Mikel Arteta has consistently defended his team’s approach, arguing that the nature of the modern Premier League makes “beautiful football” a difficult, if not impossible, objective.
“I would like to play with three players extra in my own half to get some beautiful football and play always against a free man,” the Arsenal manager stated earlier this month. “This is not the reality of football. You want to watch that (kind of) football, you have to go to a different country because in the Premier League for the last two seasons or three seasons, this is not the case.”
Arteta elaborated on the tactical evolution within the league, pointing out how teams have become exceptionally adept at defensive organisation.
“Now, teams are adapting, teams know after every sequence of play — whether it’s a throw-in, a restarted play, an open-play situation, after a direct play — exactly what they have to do and everything is almost man-to-man,” he explained. “So, it’s going to be a different game unless we change the rules because the evolution of the game is that.”
Despite the differing perspectives on playing style and current form, the Premier League title race remains a captivating spectacle, with established giants and rising contenders all vying for supremacy. Michael Owen’s bold statement, however, suggests that even with their current inconsistencies, Liverpool’s underlying quality, in his eyes, still places them at the pinnacle of English football. The coming weeks and months will undoubtedly reveal whether his assessment holds true or if Arsenal can continue their relentless march towards the title.
