'All this hype' - Paul Merson makes brutal Liverpool trophies claim and major Jurgen Klopp call

Paul Merson has argued Liverpool's success in cup competitions this season has been to luck of penalty shootouts and believes the Premier League remains the most difficult trophy to win.

Liverpool remain in with a shout of the top-flight title ahead of Sunday's showdown with Wolves, though Manchester City are expected to get the better of Aston Villa to pip the Reds to glory. Regardless of whether Jurgen Klopp's side come out on top, it has been a remarkable campaign which could end with a further trophy to add to the cabinet.

Real Madrid await in the final of the Champions League on May 28, with Liverpool looking to complete a treble of honours with a win in Paris. But for all of Liverpool's success in cup competitions this term, Merson has controversially claimed City reclaiming their Premier League crown would represent a greater achievement.

Writing in his column for the Daily Star, the former Arsenal midfielder said: "Pep Guardiola is still the manager of the year if Manchester City win the title - and it's harder now than when Manchester United were doing it.

"The Premier League is the ultimate. It's 38 games in the hardest competition in the world. If you win it, you are the best. Jurgen Klopp has done an absolutely phenomenal job at Liverpool this season but if he doesn't win the league he isn't manager of the year for me.

"Don't forget Liverpool were put in a Champions League group they could have walked through, and they've won both domestic cups on penalties. They didn't win the games. If you think City should be disappointed somehow if they only win the league and Liverpool win a treble, you'd be wrong. I don't see that at all.

"I'm glad for Liverpool that they've taken the title race to the final