Theo Walcott backs Liverpool for title push in Premier League
Theo Walcott has put Liverpool in a curious place: the biggest unknown in the Premier League title race, yet still his pick to chase Arsenal hardest.
The former Gunners forward, now 37, has tipped the Reds to leap from last season’s disappointment into second place in 2026/27, even as doubts swirl around Anfield after a flat year and a quiet summer.
“Hardest team to call” – but backed for a title push
Liverpool’s pre-season hasn’t offered many clear answers. Three wins, a draw and two defeats under new boss Andoni Iraola have thrown up flashes of promise and moments of concern, without any real sense of what this team will look like once the serious business starts at Newcastle on Sunday.
That uncertainty hasn’t scared Walcott off.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: “Liverpool are probably the hardest team to call. Iraola is an excellent manager and if Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz have big seasons, they could absolutely push Arsenal for the title.”
In Walcott’s projected table, Arsenal take the crown, Liverpool follow in second, and Manchester City and Chelsea round out the top four.
It’s a bold stance given where Liverpool are coming from. Fifth place last season, miles off their own standards as reigning champions, and a transfer window so far that has lacked the kind of statement signings supporters usually associate with a reset. Expectations have dipped. The pressure, slightly, too.
Pundits split on Iraola’s Liverpool
Walcott is not alone in seeing a resurgence on Merseyside. Paul Merson has also gone on record backing Liverpool to finish second.
Others are far less convinced. Steve Nicol, another ex-Red, has suggested Iraola’s side might not even crack the top six by the time May rolls around. That gap in opinion captures the mood perfectly: nobody quite knows what version of Liverpool is about to emerge.
The truth may lie somewhere between those two poles. There is enough talent in the squad to climb from last season’s low, but serious questions remain about whether they can sustain a title charge across nine unforgiving months.
Chaos, brilliance, and the Rodgers/Klopp echoes
Pre-season under Iraola has already hinted at the identity he wants. When it clicks, Liverpool look capable of carving teams open with sweeping, attacking moves that can suffocate opponents and turn games in a few ruthless minutes.
The flip side is harder to ignore. They still look exposed on the counter. Set pieces continue to cause anxiety. For all the attacking flair, there’s a looseness that feels familiar to anyone who remembers the Brendan Rodgers years or Jurgen Klopp’s early months: exhilarating, unpredictable, and just a little too wild to trust over 38 games.
That is the version of Liverpool many expect to see this season. A side that can blow away big teams on a good day, yet leak points in places where champions usually grind their way through.
Lower pressure, higher intrigue
One thing seems certain: Iraola’s Liverpool should be more watchable than the side that stumbled through Arne Slot’s second campaign. The football already looks braver, more vertical, more willing to take risks in the final third.
There is also time, just about, for the club to act in the market and shore up the obvious weak spots. Any late arrivals could tilt the balance between chaos and control.
For now, cautious optimism feels like the sensible stance. Liverpool look poised to improve on last season’s fifth place, but Walcott’s vision of a full-blooded title chase with Arsenal demands a level of consistency this squad has not shown for some time.
Is Iraola about to unleash a new contender, or simply the league’s most entertaining enigma? The answer will define Liverpool’s season.
