DUBAI: When Liverpool take on Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Monday night in their second Premier League match of the season, the chatter will again be about their new signings — and the possible recruitment of Alexander Isak from Eddie Howe’s team, which is expected to make the atmosphere edgier than usual.
The opening day of the season saw Arne Slot’s team beat Bournemouth 4-2 with British transfer record signing Florian Wirtz making his bow at Anfield alongside forward Hugo Ekitike and new fullbacks Miklos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.
The latter two were withdrawn in the second half as the home team led 2-0, and former Liverpool player Glen Johnson, who played for the club at both left- and right-back positions, believes the additions will be expected to excel at defense and attack.
“That’s part of the game now,” Johnson told Arab News while in Dubai recently. “Obviously they’ve got to defend, they’ve got to be good on the ball, but they’ve also got to be good going forward. And to do that, you need an engine.”
Frimpong, who is likely to miss the match against Newcastle, and Kerkez have taken over starting positions from Liverpool stalwarts of recent years in Trent Alexander-Arnold, who left for Real Madrid, and Andy Robertson, who remains at the club.
Johnson added that modern football, not to mention Liverpool’s attacking methods, places extra demands on them.
“Nowadays it’s expected (to attack and defend),” the former England star said. “Before, there was probably only a handful of people who could do it. But now it’s almost like if you can’t do it, you can’t play there.”
Johnson said that after Liverpool deservedly, if unexpectedly, won the Premier League last season, expectations will be to repeat the feat.
“Any team that wins the Premier League deserve it,” he said. “But obviously to win it back-to-back is even tougher. But they look like they’ve done great in the transfer window.
“So they look like they’re going to be the ones to peg back again. But you’d also expect the other teams around them to improve. So it’ll be tough.”
“Hopefully they get off to a good start and find some early momentum,” he added.
“They’re favorites for nearly every game they play, you’d probably put them down as favorites. You’d expect some of the other big guns to bounce back and close the gap and try and make it as difficult for Liverpool as possible.”
Johnson, who also represented West Ham, Chelsea, Portsmouth and Stoke, called Liverpool a “special” club to play for.
“Obviously the fans are one thing. The way the club looks after players, ex-players, it’s a family. It’s a real united group. They’re used to winning,” Johnson added.
“So there’s a huge expectation that you go to these big clubs and you want to win every single week.”
“There are some clubs further down the league where to lose the odd game here and there is OK, because they’re expected to finish wherever their target is.
“But with clubs like Liverpool, you’re expected to win most football matches and certainly more than you’d lose.”
“So there is pressure, but that’s why they sign good players, that’s what good players want. You want the pressure and most of the time, that’s the order.”
Johnson has maintained his ties with Liverpool since retiring in 2018 and was speaking to Arab News as an official representative of the club at the Adidas Flagship Store in Dubai Mall.
“It’s obviously an iconic brand, a global brand, and those big brands want to be associated with the hottest thing,” he said. “Liverpool being the club it is, it is the hottest thing.”
