Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has backed Arsenal to win the Premier League title and believes Alexander Isak could be a “difference” maker for the Reds under new manager Andoni Iraola.

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT at the launch of the Topps Flagship Premier League 2026/27 collection, Fowler discussed Liverpool’s transition under Iraola, the future of Cody Gakpo, Isak’s potential, the Premier League’s most exciting youngsters and what separates an elite striker from the rest.

The former England international also reflected on his own playing career before making his predictions for the new Premier League campaign.

Fowler Excited By Liverpool Under Iraola

Asked which Premier League side he was most excited to watch this season, there was only one place Fowler was going to start.

“I mean, the obvious one is Liverpool,” he said.

“I think there’s obviously a little bit of a transition with a new manager coming in. Hopefully it’s going to be new players.

“I think when we look at the Premier League now, obviously Tottenham have spent money, Man United have spent money, Chelsea have spent money, Arsenal have brought great players in. Liverpool haven’t really got to that level, but I think that’s probably what I’m looking forward to, seeing how Liverpool progress with this new manager.”

One player whose future has been the subject of speculation is Cody Gakpo, with the Dutchman linked with Tottenham.

Fowler admitted he had no inside knowledge of a potential departure but suggested Liverpool’s need to strengthen could ultimately result in players leaving Anfield.

“Well, it’s the first I’ve heard, to be fair. I know there’s obviously been snippets and that, but I’ve certainly not heard anything direct from the club.

“You’re always going to get opinions, you’re always going to get people’s eyes on what’s going to happen. So, yeah, I think he’s done OK for Liverpool, hasn’t he? I think Liverpool obviously need new players coming in and it’ll be a case of watch this space, or players need to go out for players to come in, and obviously he could be one of them.”

Fowler Gives Verdict on Andoni Iraola Appointment

REUTERS/Phil Noble via Action Images

Iraola’s arrival represents a major change at Anfield, but Fowler was excited by the appointment after watching the Spaniard’s work at Bournemouth.

“Probably excited, actually. When I watched Bournemouth last year, I think they were obviously a team who were easy on the eye, they were very attack-minded, the press was brilliant. So how they play the game is probably the way I want to see a team.

“Obviously, coming to Liverpool from Bournemouth is a little bit different. The expectations and the pressures are probably a little bit different, so hopefully he gets a great start, gets a good run of results.

“As we all know, football is based on results, so if he gets them, I think many people will get behind him, and we can go from strength to strength.”

Fowler also believes Iraola deserves time to implement his ideas rather than being judged too quickly.

“So I think it’s going to be the same with Andoni. We all know how good he is and how brilliant he was last year, but it’s all going to be gauged on results.

“I’m not one of those who think managers should be getting sacked full stop. I think you need that little bit of a run, you need to show what you can do, but let’s hope he is the man to take Liverpool forward.”

Fowler Backs Isak to Thrive

REUTERS/Phil Noble

With Mohamed Salah having departed, Fowler identified two Liverpool players who could particularly benefit from Iraola’s arrival: Rio Ngumoha and Alexander Isak.

“I think there’s a few. I’ll probably point to Rio, young Rio Ngumoha. I think he’s a wonderful player, very exciting.

“I think the way Andoni wants to play, he wants his team to be massively on the front foot, get that ball forward as quickly as we possibly can, and someone like Isak could thrive on the way he wants his team to play.”

Fowler remains a huge admirer of Isak and believes having a proper pre-season could prove particularly important after an injury-hit campaign.

“Yeah, massively excited. Look, I genuinely think he’s a wonderful player. I think when we saw him at Newcastle, I think any club, not just in the Premier League, but I think any club in the world would have taken him.

“He’s a very, very good player, great goalscorer and, look, for whatever reason, it never materialised last year. I think that was maybe down to the conditioning of how he missed a lot of the pre-season.

“It took a while, then we saw him starting to hit a little bit of form, and then unfortunately he gets that leg break. I’m glad he’s getting a pre-season behind him now because I think his fitness is good. He’s come out and said that himself; I think that’s documented. But as a forward, I think you need to be conditioned and getting the right sort of condition to play football.

“I think getting that alertness and that liveliness into his game is massively important, so pre-season is massively important for him. He can be a difference.”

Fowler Names Premier League Youngster He’s Excited About

Fowler’s enthusiasm for Ngumoha is clear, but when asked to look beyond Liverpool for another young Premier League talent to watch, he highlighted Arsenal’s Max Dowman.

“Well, I think the obvious one is young Max Dowman,” he said.

“Obviously we’ve seen how good he was last year in terms of playing a few games for Arsenal. It wasn’t as many minutes as probably anyone would have liked, or everyone would have liked, I should say, but he’s an exciting player.

“It’s silly when you see a young player who gets the fans on the edge of their seats, and I think we can all get excited, can’t we? This is one of the reasons why I love Rio. I do love the players who get you on the edge of your seats, and Rio is that man.”

Fowler Explains What Separates Elite Strikers

Few players are better placed to discuss Premier League goalscoring than Fowler, who scored 163 times in the competition.

Asked what separates an average striker from the very best, Fowler highlighted one quality above everything else: concentration.

“You look at Haaland, and we all know how elite he is. He can be quiet for 80, 90 minutes and pops up with a goal, so that concentration level is important.

“You need that anticipation, you need that level of composure, you need to be a good player, your first touch needs to be good, but concentration is massively important as well. So I think that is the main difference between an elite striker and possibly the strikers in lower leagues.”

Fowler was speaking to GiveMeSport at the Topps Flagship Premier League 2026/27 collection launch on 6 August, where he was able to see first-hand the excitement around football card collecting among a new generation of supporters.

The Liverpool legend revealed the scenes brought back memories of his own childhood collecting and swapping football memorabilia.

“You know what I love about it? I’ve been so excited down here actually, seeing all the kids up on the shop floor opening packs, and the excitement in them is absolutely brilliant. It brings me back to when I was a kid.

“I was a collector. I would try everything to try and fill a book. Unfortunately, I don’t think I ever did manage to fill a full one.

“But certainly kids my age and my era growing up, it was all about cards and swapping. Probably not the value of what we see with these Topps cards, but I think school playgrounds and schoolyards were full of kids swapping. Everyone loved it.”

Fowler Reveals the One Premier League Goal He’d Relive

Fowler scored some unforgettable goals during his career, but one against Everton carries particular significance.

Asked which Premier League goal he would choose to experience again, Fowler recalled his comeback from a broken leg and a Merseyside derby winner against the legendary Neville Southall.

“Good question. I think my goal I would probably say, probably my first game back from a broken leg, which was against Everton. This was very early into my career. Broken leg, I was out for just over two months. First game back was against Everton, ended up scoring the winner against, I think, one of the greatest ever goalkeepers in Neville Southall.

“So not only that goal, but it was also the last goal in a Merseyside derby in front of the standing Kop, so I could relive that one time and time again.”

Fowler Backs Arsenal to Win the Premier League

Finally, Fowler was put through a GIVEMESPORT quickfire round — and produced some interesting predictions for the season ahead.

The Liverpool icon backed Arsenal to win the Premier League, while tipping Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot and Tottenham to be the division’s surprise package.

When asked for the toughest defender he faced, Fowler joked:

“Probably my own defenders,” before naming Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz, explaining that they were “players who knew my game.”

He selected Steve McManaman as the best player he played alongside and, unsurprisingly, picked Anfield for the best stadium atmosphere.

As for the current Premier League player Fowler would most like to have played alongside, he chose Haaland.

And his one-word verdict on what Liverpool could become under Iraola?

“Progressive.”