Considering last season’s debacle, most fans are happy that the Reds are firmly in the Premier League title hunt. Man City will always be tough opponents, but Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool has beaten them before. There’s no reason they can’t do it again.
Still, with Liverpool in such a rich vein of form, it’s seemingly more important than ever that the squad takes advantage right away. If it doesn’t, supporters could experience another extended wait for domestic silverware.
The Premier League Is Getting Tougher
You only need to look at the teams who have taken points off Liverpool to see that there aren’t many games where three points are guaranteed. Newly-promoted Brentford is an excellent example as they could have easily won the match. Going off the Championship betting odds for this season, which have Fulham (4/9), Bournemouth (4/1) and West Brom (11/2) as the three outright favourites, it’s no wonder the most popular English Championship tips are backing these teams to return to the Promised Land.
What happens in the Championship doesn’t seem to affect the top Premier League clubs since they are usually too good for the likes of the bottom sides. However, ever since more money has come into the sport, the gap between the top and bottom half of the league is considerably smaller, as they can afford better players and managers.
The @premierleague is the best sports league in the world in quality of players, coaches, atmosphere etc. But that elite standard is not matched by the standard of officiating. Only a few good refs nowadays. Reckless Kane should have gone. Robertson was red and rightly sent off.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) December 19, 2021
Clubs such as Fulham, Bournemouth and West Brom are big clubs anyway. So, when you throw extra resources into the mix, as well as experience of fighting for survival, it means Liverpool will need to fight twice as hard for victories in the future as they are currently. Also, if the officiating against Tottenham is anything to go off, luck may not be on their side.
Extracted Contract Battles & Strikers
Strangely, Mo Salah is at the centre of a contract saga that continues to rage on, even though he’s arguably the best player in the world. Liverpool letting him leave is insanity, especially when the Egyptian’s performances contribute to the club’s 16/5 outright winner odds for the Premier League. The Citizens might be out in front at 4/11, yet Liverpool are hot on their tails thanks to Salah.
Without him, which is a possibility the longer the extracted process drags on, the Reds’ squad will lose its clinical goal scorer and talisman, a man who has managed 112 goals in 176 domestic appearances. Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino are good, but they aren’t good enough to fill any hole that’s left by Salah.
Combine this with the fact that City may enter the transfer market for a striker in the future, and Liverpool’s attack will be blunted while their main rivals’ is sharper than ever. City without a recognised forward are excellent, so imagine what they’ll be like with a 25-goal-a-season figurehead.
Chelsea’s Squad Will Be Better for This Campaign
Everyone assumed Chelsea would take Liverpool’s position and challenge City for the league. Instead, the West Londoners have dropped off after an impressive start, leaving City and Liverpool as the two outright favourites. Chelsea’s odds of 10/1 are the lowest they have been since the first game of the season.
Of course, this is highly unlikely to be the case in 2022/23. As long as Thomas Tuchel remains in charge and the squad doesn’t break up, the Chelsea team will be stronger for this experience. Once they understand how to peak at the right periods and grind out wins, they will deservedly be among the favourites to break up Pep Guardiola’s dominance.
Unfortunately, next season isn’t far away, which means Klopp and co only have another six months to pip City to the post. Otherwise, the challenge will only be more difficult.
Liverpool Football Club is on the right track. However, right now, the people in charge should twist to try to add another notch to this team’s belt before the landscape alters.