After what was a disappointing Premier League campaign last season, Liverpool are showing signs they can be in the mix for the English crown this term.
Back producing their high-press and attacking brand of football on a regular basis, Jürgen Klopp’s are looking more like their old selves and appear to be ready to challenge for the title this season.
Last Season One To Forget
Missing out on the top four and failing to secure any major trophies, last season was certainly one that won’t live long in the memories of Liverpool supporters. The Reds, who are +550 in the football betting odds to win the Premier League this season, appeared to have a hangover from the previous campaign when they missed out on an unprecedented quadruple. The Merseyside outfit have been forced to watch on while rivals Manchester City swept up the trophies and the accolades, with Pep Guardiola’s side featuring heavily in football betting tips as they look to maintain their position at the top of European football.
After a summer of reflection and recruitment, the early signs of the current campaign are much more promising for Liverpool. The summer was filled with speculation regarding the future of star forward Mohamed Salah and a possible move to Saudi Arabia but the Egyptian superstar has remained loyal to the Reds. With 10 goals in his first 13 Premier League appearances, Salah has made a superb start to the season and should play a key role if the Reds are to challenge for the English crown once again.
Reds Highlight Title Credentials At The Etihad
A 1-1 draw at the home of the Premier League champions City at the end of November showed Liverpool can be serious contenders this season. Local hero Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a fantastic equalizer past City keeper Ederson to see the Reds leave the Etihad Stadium with a share of the spoils. Klopp said after the game he was proud of the performance and even felt they could have played better in the high-pressure encounter in Manchester. The display from Liverpool showed they can be a match for City once again but they will need to make sure they avoid slip-ups in more winnable games down the line.
The Reds have already slipped up in games they were expected to claim three points from, with a 1-1 draw at Luton Town in early November certainly a frustrating result for Klopp and his players. Peppering the Luton goal for much of the clash at Kenilworth Road, the Reds required a late goal from Luis Díaz to salvage a point against the Premier League newcomers. Liverpool had too many bad days at the office last season to challenge for the title but it looks like those below-par performances are becoming less frequent.
Liverpool and Manchester City have had a great rivalry in the Klopp and Guardiola era and it will be interesting to see how this latest chapter plays out. The Reds look to have their swagger back and appear to be ready to try and deny City what would be an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League crown.
