Exclusive: Liverpool Must "Step Up a Gear" to Defend Premier League Crown, says Legend Alan Kennedy

Liverpool legend Alan Kennedy is convinced the Premier League champions will have to “step up a gear” if they are going to make a successful title-defence this season.

Speaking exclusively to SportsBoom following the release of the new Premier League fixtures, five-time league champion and double European Cup winner Kennedy revealed he is willing the club on to even more memorable triumphs this term.

But the Anfield great, 70, warned that title-rivals Manchester City and Arsenal will be trying harder than ever to win the title.

“They’re a great side and hard to beat,” Kennedy told SportsBoom.com. 

“Being hard to beat is really important, that was the key to Liverpool’s success when I played. We were very hard to beat."

“Sometimes you have to start from the back – and you have to have the right type of players."

“They’ve got a very, very solid back four and they’ve also got a top keeper behind them, which really helps."

“I can see them doing okay this season, but they’ve got to step up a gear this year and raise their game. They’ve got to go one better."

“That might not be hard to do, but they will need to improve on what they’re doing because others teams will be targeting them."

“I do think this season it will becoming increasingly harder to win the title. But, once you’ve won one title, well you want to go and win another one."

“That’s the drive now, you’ve got to set your stall out to try and do that again. Every time you go out to play you have to try and win, that’s what’s expected at such a great football club at Liverpool.”

SEASON TO SAVOUR

Liverpool stormed to their first Premier League crown since 2020 in style last season, finishing ten points ahead of second-placed Arsenal and dazzling in a season to rightly savour. 

It could have very easily been a really difficult season for the Merseyside outfit after top boss Jurgen Klopp departed, but replacement Slot fitted in seamlessly and, more importantly, the players performed sublimely on their confident march to the crown.

“I was absolutely delighted for the players (last season) because I thought they played a good brand of football throughout the season,” added Kennedy, who won ten pieces of silverware across 251 appearances for the club between 1978-1986.

“Sometimes when new managers come in they change things around, but Arne Slot hasn’t changed too much, which is what I like."

“I do really like the way they play now. They’ve got players that want the ball, which is important to me."

“You need players that want the ball and are hungry. They look as though they are determined not to get beat."

“That what was what we set out to do when players like Ronnie Moran and Joe Fagan were bawling and shouting at us."

“They (the players) don’t really do it these days, but I do think sometimes you’ve got to be told by your teammates what you’ve got to do."

“I honestly think the players were fantastic last season, every one of them performed well."

“For me you can’t single out one, whether it be the captain or the top goalscorer, one person that hasn’t done the job he’s back asked to do," he concluded.