Liverpool has already been brushing teams aside in the Premier League this season and, although they’ve slipped up in the past, pundits do believe this could be the year Liverpool flourish. Whether they do have the experience to go on and take the title from under Manchester City’s nose remains to be seen, but they certainly have the attacking and defensive quality to persevere. What will Liverpool have to do between now and the end of the season to ensure they have a good crack at winning the Premier League for the first time since it was restructured?
Liverpool Should Forget About Their Competitors
It’s clear Liverpool have always had a thing about how their competitors have been doing rather than concentrating on the job in hand. If they can keep their heads down and ignore what the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham are doing, they could easily sneak up and gain the points needed to get a clear advantage going through the Christmas period, which is something that’s always been important to title winners come May. Klopp will obviously be looking at how their competitors are doing, but he should let his players know that it doesn’t matter as long as they keep winning games.
A New Winter Addition?
Liverpool looks like a complete squad already, but another addition in the winter wouldn’t hurt. Klopp may look at the busy Christmas period and at the fitness and tiredness of his current players, and maybe decide in the final weeks of the transfer window to see if it’s a good fit. Injuries occur often at this level and it’s usually the winter period that can change team’s fortunes due to multiple player injuries. Of course, it could have a negative impact in terms of player morale, but it’s the make or break month for the teams competing for the title – Liverpool included.
You can have a look at the sports betting section on the Stakers website to see what transfers the punters think are favourites for Liverpool to sign in January 2019. And if you are feeling lucky, place a cheeky wager!
Liverpool Already Have an Outstanding Strike Force
Liverpool hasn’t ever had any problems when it comes to scoring goals in recent years. They’ve had the likes of Suarez and Coutinho, and now they have class players like Firmino, Mane, and Salah scoring for fun. Wijnaldum has settled the midfield, and Henderson is proving his critics wrong this season by showing his creative passing abilities and excellent leadership skills. This is all helped with Fabinho in front of the back four who looks to have given his colleagues plenty of confidence in defence and going forward. This could well play into Liverpool’s hands in the final months of the season, as they also have plenty of depth in terms of attacking ability.
Quality Defensive Tactics
Going back a year or two, Liverpool weren’t up to scratch in the defensive department. One year on, they’ve tightened up the back and Klopp seems to have perfected his defensive partnerships. Virgil Van Dijk has settled into one of the best players Liverpool have after a torrid first season at Anfield. Joe Gomez has come on leaps and bounds since he’s played regularly in the first team. Robertson has blossomed on the left and Trent Alexander-Arnold is playing some cracking football on the right. Ultimately, Liverpool looks like a decent squad this year thanks to the professionalism and determination that’s shining from the back four. We’ve seen how the title went to Manchester City instead of their fierce rivals Manchester United in 2012 because of goal difference – so defence will almost certainly play a massive part this year.
Goalkeeper Confidence
Allison made a couple of blinders since joining Liverpool for a huge fee of £67 million in the summer, but the 25-year-old has quickly settled in since and has given confidence to his back four. He’s looked like the goalkeeper Liverpool have been missing since Pepe Reina and, although he’s still only 25, he looks like a nearly completed product already. The Premier League can’t be won without a decent defence and a good goalkeeper, but Liverpool do look like the final package this season, and could go on and win it should Manchester City slip up.
An Emotional, Understanding Manager
Many critics have slated Klopp in recent months because statistically, he’s not the best manager in the Premier League. However, when you look at how he’s changed the team from when he took over in October 2015, he’s definitely got the quality and experience to take Liverpool that extra mile. He’s shown how understanding he can be when Liverpool don’t quite play to their usual standards, and he’s also shown how emotional he is when on the sidelines during any game his squad is involved in. Of course, Jurgen also has the experience of winning leagues in the past with Borussia Dortmund, so taking Liverpool to the top this season will be his primary objective.
Massive Fan Base That Will Spur on Their Team
Playing at Anfield this season feels like a different experience for the team compared to previous seasons. The fans can feel the Premier League title coming home and, it’s not a matter of if it will happen, it’s a matter of when. Liverpool has the best squad of players they’ve had in the last two decades and that’s given the fans a massive boost in terms of hope. Having a good fan base could be the difference in Liverpool winning the league this season.
Liverpool still has a lot to do this season and them winning the Premier League will likely rely on Manchester City and co slipping up somewhere along the line. However, what they do have is an excellent manager, a good squad of players, and a lot of confidence playing together – all ingredients that have taken past Premier League teams to the top. Liverpool hasn’t won the top tier of football since it was the first division, so having one over on their Manchester United rivals will give them a massive kick to go on and win it for bragging rights.