Arsenal invincible claims ‘lucky’ Liverpool have it easy

Arsenal legend Robert Pires believes “lucky” Liverpool will go unbeaten this season, but insists the 2004 ‘Invincibles’ had it much harder.

Liverpool’s a 4-0 victory over Southampton on Saturday sent them 22 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Seven more wins will guarantee their first domestic championship since 1990 after a 24th victory in 25 matches and ninth clean sheet in 10 games.

But former France international Pires insists his Arsenal team had it much harder because of the strength of the competition when they went unbeaten in 49 games.

But the 46-year-old admitted he thinks the Reds will go unbeaten on their way to Premier League glory.

Pires told France Football via Goal: “Yes, because they have everything going for them: the team, the results, the luck, the coach… I think there are a lot of people who will agree.

“Considering how they have been playing for some time, I can’t see who would trouble them. Even Manchester City, when I look at the match against City [a 3-1 win for Liverpool at Anfield in November], there is too big a difference.

“It’s how they all defend. They play in a 4-3-3 and as soon as they lose the ball, especially in the middle, they are strong, physical.

“I thought they would have a little drop in speed because they don’t stop playing and they keep travelling. After Boxing Day, I thought they would fall apart anyway, and no the guys are still there physically.

“Today, technically the Premier League has dipped a little. It’s a bit of an observation people make here. When you see the squads of Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham or Arsenal, it’s not as strong as it was a few years ago. The only ones who can trouble them are Manchester City.

“They will be champions by going unbeaten, but they can also beat our record. Everything has changed today. People will compare, but I think it was much, much harder in our time.

“As I said before, technically, many teams, particularly the big ones, have gone down a notch. There were no cameras, no VAR. When the guys wanted to get stuck in…

“And, above all, when you played away. I remember the matches at Leeds [United], Blackburn [Rovers], Bolton [Wanderers]… you had to get used to them.”