EPL

Liverpool have one of the 'best squads I've seen', says club great Fowler

By Sports Desk February 26, 2022

Robbie Fowler believes Liverpool possess one of the best squads he has ever seen at the club, and says they hold a marginal edge over Chelsea ahead of this week's EFL Cup final.

Jurgen Klopp's side head to Wembley Stadium looking to win their first domestic cup under the German, as they face off with Thomas Tuchel's Blues in north London.

The Merseysiders have been tipped as slight favourites by their opposing manager in the buildup, and club great Fowler - who scored 183 goals in 369 appearances for the Reds and is a two-time EFL Cup winner - feels they have the players to triumph.

"Whatever team shows up, either side has shown they can compete," Fowler told Stats Perform ahead of Sunday's match. "Chelsea have played in five major finals in the last 12 months, so you know what they're capable of.

"But you look at Liverpool's form of late, the squad they've got, they can compete with anyone. It has got the makings of a great game. I'm obviously sat on the Liverpool side of it.

"Whoever starts in the front three, if they turn up, Liverpool win the game because they're just exceptional players. We've seen that in the past.

Related items

  • Saudi Pro League: Mahrez and Firmino on target as Al-Ahli tighten grip on third place Saudi Pro League: Mahrez and Firmino on target as Al-Ahli tighten grip on third place

    Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino were both on target as Al-Ahli tightened their grip on third place in the Saudi Pro League table with a 4-1 win over Damac on Thursday.

    Matthias Jaissle's team were four goals up within just 25 minutes as Damac folded, Ziyad Al Johani and Feras Al Brikan netting their first two before Franck Kessie was felled by Dhari Al Anazi for a penalty, converted by Mahrez.

    Firmino then tapped home a fourth after being teed up by former Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin on the break, but Al-Ahli took their foot off the gas from there, Domagoj Antolic's second-half consolation rounding off the scoring.

    Elsewhere, 10-man Al-Riyadh scored two stoppage-time draws to earn a dramatic 2-2 draw with Al-Fateh in Al-Mubarraz. 

    Goals from Djaniny and former Columbus Crew star Lucas Zelarayan put Slaven Bilic's hosts on the brink of victory, with Al-Riyadh playing almost half the game a player down after Khalid Al Shuwayyi's 54th-minute red card. 

    An astonishing collapse denied them, however, with Mohammed Al Shwirekh halving the arrears one minute into stoppage time before Didier Ndong headed in a left-wing cross three minutes later.

    Thursday's other game saw Al-Hazm and Al-Akhdoud play out a goalless draw, keeping the hosts bottom of the table while Al-Akhdoud inched two points clear of the relegation zone.

  • Al Ittihad 1-2 Al Hilal: Holders into King's Cup final Al Ittihad 1-2 Al Hilal: Holders into King's Cup final

    Al Hilal overcame Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's red card as Saud Abdulhamid's late goal sealed a 2-1 victory over Al Ittihad in the King's Cup semi-finals.

    Without Karim Benzema, Al Ittihad ultimately lacked the firepower to make their numerical advantage count in Tuesday's clash.

    Former Lazio midfielder, who joined Al Hilal as part of their spending spree last year, received a straight red card in the 42nd minute.

    Al Ittihad's Abderrazzaq Hamed-Allah cancelled out Micheal's opener, but Abdulhamid popped up with the winner in the 81st minute.

    Al Hilal are 10-time King's Cup winners, having won their 10th title last season.

    The Saudi Pro League leaders, who are still without the injured Neymar, will now face either Al Khaleej or Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr in the final at the end of May.

    Data Debrief: Malcom in the middle

    Al Hilal might be missing their star Brazilian Neymar, but his compatriot Malcom is delivering when it comes to playmaking.

    The former Zenit attacker set up both of Al Hilal's goals, creating three chances in total and registering a pass accuracy of 92.6 per cent, better than any of his team-mates.

  • Former Spain boss Del Bosque to oversee RFEF Former Spain boss Del Bosque to oversee RFEF

    Former Spain boss Vicente del Bosque will oversee a new committee supervising the RFEF.

    Spain, which is due to be one of six host countries for the 2030 World Cup, announced the creation of a special committee until the federation holds elections to replace Luis Rubiales.

    That is despite Pedro Rocha having this week been appointed as Rubiales' replacement, though he himself is under investigation amid a corruption probe.

    Rubiales was dismissed following his unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso during the Women's World Cup trophy ceremony in 2023.

    The federation's former president was then arrested in early April as part of a corruption investigation.

    Del Bosque led Spain to three consecutive trophies, winning the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, while also leading the team to their first World Cup success in 2010.

    Prior to his time with the national team, he also won two Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles while in charge of Real Madrid, where he made over 400 appearances as a player. 

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.