UFC star and Liverpool supporter Paddy Pimblett has backed his beloved Reds to muscle their way back to the Premier League summit next season - so long as Jurgen Klopp stays and is backed in the transfer market.
Manchester City and Arsenal continue to compete for top honours this campaign with Liverpool languishing behind in eighth position with eight games remaining. European qualification is looking difficult for Klopp and his players, as things stand, but plans to strengthen this summer are already underway.
Pimblett - known in MMA circles as 'The Baddy' - admits he can't quite pinpoint why the Reds have struggled this season, but is expecting Klopp to get them firing, once again, after tipping City to retain their crown.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, the 28-year-old said: "If the Messiah [Klopp] can't [work out what's gone wrong] then we can't. Jurgen is the man.
"Without him, our club wouldn't be where it is at the minute. You can't quite put your finger on it - we've had a few injuries and a few little things going wrong in certain games.
"I was at Anfield last week when we played Arsenal and we absolutely battered them. We should have won it like 5-2 and I was at Elland Road the other day when we beat Leeds.
"It should have been a similar score against Arsenal... we couldn't score against Bournemouth away and that's crazy, isn't it? Next season we will be back as long as the Messiah stays and Jurgen's not going anywhere, and with some transfers we will be back up there next season."
He added: "I think Man City [will win it] and I'd rather them win it. I've been saying it for weeks to be honest.
"Arsenal haven't been in the title race for a long time. Look at us the first time we got back in the title race a couple of years ago - we were like 10 points above City and they caught up to us. That's what happened and I don't think Arsenal are used to a title race.
"I think the pressure has got to them. I would personally rather Man City win it anyway as Arsenal fans would give us a lot of stick if they swooped in one year and won the league as they haven't been involved for about ten years. They'd be comparing [Mikel] Arteta to Klopp, wouldn't they?"
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