BBC Sport pundits have delivered their Premier League predictions for the 2022/23 season, with Liverpool fancied for greater success in comparison to last campaign.
Jurgen Klopp's side were written off by the 20 individuals who cast their selections ahead of 2021/22, with not one person picking the Reds to claim top spot. Fourth place was the most common view, with nine pundits predicting Liverpool to only just secure a Champions League place. Seven pundits ranked the Reds third, while Danny Murphy, Mark Lawrenson and Rob Green opted for second place.
Most staggering of all was Jermaine Beckford's decision to place Liverpool outside of the top four altogether, having tipped Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Leicester City to complete the Champions League places. This, of course, did not end well as the Foxes ended in eighth position, some 40 points adrift of the Reds.
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On this occasion, the former Everton forward has had a major change of heart and believes Klopp's men will be the team to end the season as champions. Eight others have echoed this prediction, with Dion Dublin, Glenn Murray, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock, Jermaine Jenas, Chris Sutton, Clinton Morrison and Nedum Onuoha also expecting City to surrender the title.
Unlike last year, Liverpool have been included in everyone's top four picks but Pep Guardiola's side have just edged the favourites for first by 13 votes to nine. One of the nine pundits to back the Reds to come out on top, Jenas believes the team could once again be about to bounce back from final day disappointment in style.
"As good as Liverpool's season was last time, they suffered quite a lot of pain as well towards the end and that kind of stuff fires you up for the new season," said the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder. "We saw it happen after they just missed out to City in 2018-19 and they came out absolutely flying. This time, I think those memories of missing out on the title and losing the Champions League final will be clear in the mind of these players as well. That bit of hunger might be the thing that gets them over the line."
2022/23 BBC Pundit Predictions in full:
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Rob Green | Man City | Man Utd | Liverpool | Tottenham |
Micah Richards | Man City | Liverpool | Tottenham | Arsenal |
Rachel Brown-Finnis | Man City | Liverpool | Tottenham | Arsenal |
Martin Keown | Man City | Liverpool | Tottenham | Arsenal |
Sue Smith | Man City | Liverpool | Tottenham | Arsenal |
Jonathan Woodgate | Man City | Liverpool | Tottenham | Chelsea |
Leon Osman | Man City | Liverpool | Tottenham | Chelsea |
Pat Nevin | Man City | Liverpool | Tottenham | Chelsea |
Ashley Williams | Man City | Liverpool | Tottenham | Chelsea |
Michael Brown | Man City | Liverpool | Tottenham | Chelsea |
Izzy Christiansen | Man City | Liverpool | Chelsea | Tottenham |
Danny Murphy | Man City | Liverpool | Chelsea | Tottenham |
Lindsay Johnson | Man City | Liverpool | Chelsea | Tottenham |
Dion Dublin | Liverpool | Man City | Chelsea | Man Utd |
Glenn Murray | Liverpool | Man City | Tottenham | Arsenal |
Jermaine Beckford | Liverpool | Man City | Tottenham | Arsenal |
Matt Upson | Liverpool | Man City | Tottenham | Arsenal |
Stephen Warnock | Liverpool | Man City | Tottenham | Arsenal |
Jermaine Jenas | Liverpool | Man City | Tottenham | Chelsea |
Chris Sutton | Liverpool | Man City | Tottenham | Chelsea |
Clinton Morrison | Liverpool | Man City | Tottenham | Chelsea |
Nedum Onuoha | Liverpool | Man City | Tottenham | Man Utd |
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