Arsenal legend makes bold Liverpool prediction ahead of the new season

Liverpool Prediction 2026-27: Wirtz, Isak and the Pressure of a Fresh Start

Liverpool do not get judged by good intentions. They get judged by trophies, by title races, by whether the team walks onto the pitch looking ready to impose itself on the rest of the division. Last season, that edge was missing far too often, and the wreckage of a campaign that ended with Andoni Iraola inheriting a side in need of repair still hangs over Anfield.

That is why Paul Merson for Sky Sports has landed on a prediction that will probably feel fair to many supporters, second place for Liverpool in 2026-27. It sounds respectable, and after the chaos of last season it would count as progress, but it also comes with a warning. A club of this size cannot drift into becoming permanent runners-up in the conversation before a ball is even kicked.

Florian Wirtz Must Own the Midfield

Merson’s focus on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak makes sense because Liverpool’s season may well swing on those two. About Wirtz, he said: “Liverpool’s midfield wasn’t great last year but I expect Florian Wirtz to have a better season, 100%. I thought it would take time for him to get settled in this league, but he’s had a season now. If he doesn’t get going this season, you start worrying.”

There is no hiding place in that assessment. Wirtz arrived with a huge fee, huge expectation and the sort of reputation that suggests games should bend to his rhythm. At times last season, you could see the picture. There were flashes of craft, little bursts of authority, moments where the pitch seemed to open in front of him. Then it faded again. Liverpool need far more than glimpses. They need control, incision and numbers.

If Iraola is to restore conviction quickly, Wirtz has to be central to it. He has to look like the game belongs to him.

Alexander Isak Fitness Could Define Liverpool’s Ceiling

Isak’s first year was shredded by injury, and any fair reading of his struggles has to begin there. Merson said: “Alexander Isak was so up and down with injury last season; they couldn’t really get him on the pitch. I don’t know if he’s going to need to take a bit more time, so I don’t know about his levels this season.”

Photo: IMAGO

That uncertainty is the key point. Liverpool signed a striker who should make defenders nervous every week. Instead, they spent too much of the campaign wondering when he would be back, whether he could find rhythm, and how much sharpness had been left behind. If he stays fit, the whole attack changes shape. The movement improves, the chances increase and defenders stop stepping out quite so easily.

Recent signs alongside Wirtz have been encouraging, especially when the pair have found little pockets of understanding around the box. That chemistry could be priceless.

Andoni Iraola Faces a Squad Depth Test

Merson’s broader point, that Liverpool may still lack the depth to win the title, feels harder to argue with. One strong XI can carry you through a stretch. A title challenge asks for much more. It asks for options in winter, solutions after injuries and a bench that can change games rather than simply keep them tidy.

Second place would be a decent recovery after the mess of 2025-26. Yet Liverpool supporters will know the bigger truth. If Wirtz and Isak produce, and if more quality arrives before the window shuts, then this team should not be looking up timidly. It should be asking why it cannot go all the way.

Our View

From a worried Liverpool fan’s perspective, this all feels a bit too neat. Second place sounds comforting, but it also risks ignoring how much still has to be fixed. Last season was not a minor wobble. It was a collapse in standards, confidence and identity. Changing the head coach does not magically remove that.

The concern is obvious. Wirtz has talent, nobody disputes that, but Liverpool have had gifted players before who took too long to truly grasp the tempo and physical demand of this league. Isak is a brilliant forward when fit, but those two words matter, when fit. Supporters have every right to be anxious about building hopes around availability rather than certainty.

Then there is the depth issue. It is one thing to put together a strong run in August and September. It is another to survive the grind of a full Premier League season when injuries, suspensions and fatigue begin to bite. Liverpool need more than optimism. They need bodies, quality and a clear structure from Iraola from day one.

So yes, second place would be progress. But worried fans will be thinking beyond the league table. They will want signs that this side can be trusted again, that the softness of last season has gone, and that Anfield is watching a team ready to fight for everything rather than merely recover from the damage.