Peter Crouch identifies former strength as key weakness in title race

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Former Liverpool player Peter Crouch reckons Liverpool might miss out in their title battle with Manchester City because of defensive frailty.

Questions have been asked of the backline after it shipped a host of sloppy goals in pre-season and made an unconvincing start to the campaign.

Liverpool looked vulnerable against City in the Community Shield, particularly in the first-half, and were opened-up by Norwich on occasion on Friday night.

Teemu Pukki’s consolation goal for the visitors denied the Reds their customary clean sheet and put the slightest dampener on the victory.

Both Liverpool and City ultimately started with comfortable wins, but Crouch has backed last season’s champions, expressing doubts about our solidity.

“It was great to watch as Liverpool blew Norwich away in the first half,” Crouch told BT Sport. “But in terms of the title race, I’m just not sure about Liverpool.

“It will be them or Man City but I think the Blues will have too much for them this year. [Liverpool] just look weak at the back.”

Some Reds will be justifiably bemused by the criticism being levelled at our defence.

It was, after all, the best in the league last season, and personnel-wise, nothing has changed.

Surely they can be forgiven for conceding against City, with their almost irrepressible attack, and for some rustiness against Norwich.

It might take another game or two to become watertight, but there’s no reason to believe it will hold us back as it has in the past.

If anything, it may be City’s defence, after the loss of stalwart Vincent Kompany, which runs into trouble.

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