Where the media predict Liverpool to finish in the 2023/24 Premier League

Liverpool’s inconsistency last season has thrown their Premier League prospects wide open for the upcoming campaign and the media have been attempting to pinpoint where they might end up.

In the space of 12 months, the Reds went from the brink of a quadruple to dropping outside the Champions League spots for the first time since 2016.

The summer rebuild got off to a promising start with the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but fans have since grown frustrated with the lack of movement following Fabinho and Jordan Henderson‘s departures.

Last season’s surprise package Arsenal have strengthened this summer but Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Man City are going to take some catching after completing a historic treble.

With all of that in mind, how are Liverpool’s chances looking in the eyes of the media for 2023/24?

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The Guardian believe the Reds will finish fourth this season, with Andy Hunter claiming that there is “genuine cause for optimism” at Anfield this season and singling out Ben Doak as an exciting prospect for the future:

“There is genuine cause for optimism at Liverpool. There is also fierce determination to prove last season’s disappointment was a one-off that allowed Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle to capitalise, and not the start of a serious reverse.

“Liverpool’s door is open for the 17-year-old Ben Doak, according to Klopp, and the young winger has the power and pace to burst right through.”

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FourFourTwo also think Liverpool will return to the Champions League places in fourth spot, with injuries and schedule likely to have a say in the fortunes of Jurgen Klopp‘s side:

“The Reds should return to the top four as long as they can keep their forwards fit in the face of Europa League fatigue.”

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BBC‘s Phil McNulty is setting a more optimistic tone about the Reds’ hopes, placing them second in his table of predictions and declaring that he expects a “Liverpool resurgence” in the upcoming campaign:

“I am expecting a Liverpool resurgence, especially as they boast such firepower in attack with Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez.”

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BBC pundits have also had their say on how the top four spots will be filled, with only 10 of their 27 experts backing Liverpool to finish in the top three.

Six of the pundits believe the Reds will fail to secure a top-four finish for the second year running while Shay Given is the only person who has us down to finish in the top two.

Their average predicted ranking sees Liverpool in fourth place, with Man City the understandable front-runners by some distance.

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A further 22 reporters from the Mirror gave their view on how the league will shape up, with five backing Liverpool to become champions.

Four others put the Reds down in second place, while another four said that the Reds will fail to seal a top-four place.

Mark Jones anticipates that Liverpool are in the best position to pounce should Man City slip up:

“If there is a weakness in the well-oiled machine then Liverpool will be the biggest beneficiaries, with a refreshed squad, the opportunity to rest players for the Europa League and a new Jurgen Klopp gameplan all coming to the fore.”

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If you’re looking for a more scientific approach, OptaAnalyst have run the numbers through their supercomputer and have got Liverpool down in third place behind last season’s top two Man City and Arsenal.

They aren’t giving us much chance of lifting the title, however, with the computer showing Liverpool at just a 3.55% likelihood of winning the league.

Man City‘s chances stand at a whopping 90.18%, with Arsenal a long way behind on 4.08%.

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The Opta supercomputer has simulated the 2023-24 Premier League season 10,000 times to try & predict the most likely outcomes.

Title Winners?
Who will make the UCL?
Who will be relegated?

Here are the results.

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) August 7, 2023

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The Telegraph‘s Jason Burt, James Ducker and Chris Bascombe have all picked Liverpool to finish fourth in the table, while Luke Edwards and Sam Dean have backed us to go one better and end the season in third.

Bascombe expects there to be improvements at Anfield but doesn’t believe there will be a serious title tilt:

“Trying to maintain the facade that there is more than one team with the resources to collect 90 points or more every season feels increasingly like a gaslighting exercise. Unless a rival can smash its own club record, City will win again.

“Chelsea and Liverpool cannot be as dire as last season and Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle must deal with the extra demands of the Champions League – and elevated expectations. The race for positions two, three and four should be exciting.”