Source: Telegraph
Liverpool's Premier League title dream still alive says Glen Johnson
Rafael Benitez's side suffered their second loss this term at the hands of Aston Villa this week, bringing an end to their 18 month unbeaten home run. Yet Johnson insists Liverpool’s chances of winning their first championship in 20 years hremain intact.
"Obviously this is not the start to the season that we wanted but it's only the third game and there is a long way to go," said Johnson. "It's still the early part of the season so we are not going to beat ourselves up at the moment.
"Of course, we'd like to have a few more points but it's not to be so we’ll just keep going."
Currently sitting 10th in the league, Liverpool failed to clinch any points on the opening weekend of the new season after losing 2-1 to Harry Redknapp's new look Tottenham - a side Johnson said the 'Top Four' would be foolish to omit as genuine contenders.
"I definitely believe that teams like Aston Villa and Tottenham and Man City will take points off the so called big four this season," he added. "That is good thing about the Premier League, anybody can beat everybody."
Liverpool only lost two fixtures across their entire Premier League campaign last season and finished second, four points adrift of Manchester United.
And despite the summer departures of Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa, 24-year-old Johnson is convinced Liverpool can get back on track, starting with an away clash at Bolton this weekend.
"Bolton is a hard place to go next," said Johnson, "but hopefully we'll start there the way we started the second half against Villa by going at them from the first minute and get the three points."
"After losing only two games throughout the whole of last season, we've now managed to lose two in the space of just 10 days.
"It means that Liverpool have to adopt a positive mental outlook in every game from here on in. [We] were held to too many draws last season [and] the margin for error in the modern title race is so slim that draws are no use any more.
"Manchester United won the Premier League title last season despite losing four matches and that's because they drew five fewer than Liverpool.
"The three points for a win format means that a defeat – even a home defeat as desperately disappointing as last night's – is not as damaging as it might otherwise have been.
"That's why I think it's far too early to be writing Liverpool off as credible title challengers as some people already appear to be doing."
Johnson has also called on Liverpool supporters to get behind them and not lose faith.
"At times like this supporters' influence can be vitally important," he continued. "They will be feeling low after last night – and they pay their hard earned money so are fully entitled to express their views. But if they keep the faith they can help the team come through a difficult spell."
