Former Liverpool attacker El Hadji Diouf has doubted whether the Reds will be able to challenge for the Premier League title next season.
Jurgen Klopp's side accumulated 97 points from their 38 Premier League games during the 2018-19 campaign, but still finished second in the table to Manchester City.
Diouf has said that his former club "missed the chance" to win last season's title and the 38-year-old is not confident that the Merseyside giants will be able to pip City in the new campaign.
"They missed the chance to win the title last season, because you know in football every season is different, and if you look at the way they went all out for it last season it will be impossible for them to do it again this season," The Mirror quotes Diouf as saying.
"That level they were last season was an unbelievable level and look at the way they lost it, with a point difference, so we have to be realistic to ourselves.
"They have great competitors in City, and they've long been a team that has fought so hard for the title, so for me I maintain that Liverpool will not be able to produce that level of performance they did last season."
Klopp's team will face Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla, Sporting Lisbon, Napoli and Lyon in friendly matches before taking on City in the Community Shield on August 4.
Matt Law
