It’s simple to neglect simply how the Premier League desk seemed with eight video games to play final season. Liverpool prime of the tree, nonetheless in Europe and with a Carabao Cup trophy already within the bag, it felt like Jurgen Klopp was on monitor for a fairytale ending at Anfield.
It was to not be. They drew 2-2 at Outdated Trafford to Manchester United, who additionally knocked them out of the FA Cup, and it began to unravel. That sparked a run of simply 4 wins within the final 10 video games throughout competitions as Manchester Metropolis finally charged 9 factors away from the Reds in third.
However though the Reds didn’t have the endurance required to win the title, they have been real challengers proper till the final knockings. After eight video games of this marketing campaign, they cleared the path once more in what seems like deja-vu.
They spent 87 days on the summit final time period, greater than any crew, solely to fall away when it mattered. So are they contenders this yr or mere pretenders?
Mail Sport assesses the important thing questions that haunted them final season and appears if they’ll study from their errors…
Liverpool are prime of the Premier League after eight video games of the season beneath new boss Arne Slot
The season is evolving to be the identical as final time period beneath Jurgen Klopp, when the Reds spent longer on the prime of the desk than anybody else
Mail Sport seems to be as whether or not the Reds could be severe contenders after their spectacular begin
Have they got the squad depth required?
With all of those questions, it’s wanted to confer with issues that cropped up final season and assess whether or not Liverpool have made makes an attempt to place them proper. One of many points that prevented them profitable the title final time period was accidents at key moments.
In response to trusted web site Premier Accidents, 21 Liverpool gamers suffered blows – topped solely by Tottenham on 22 – and the Reds had 35 separate accidents. Star participant Mohamed Salah was not totally match within the second half of the season and plenty of different primary males have been absent for lengthy durations.
A blessing in disguise of this was the breakthrough of a number of proficient children, like Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley, however the Reds’ damage crises have been clearly a difficulty as they surrendered the title with defeats by Crystal Palace and Everton in April.
One of many many causes Liverpool employed Slot, although, was his tried-and-trusted strategies of damage prevention at former crew Feyenoord. For 3 seasons, the Rotterdam membership’s participant availability ranges have been above 90 per cent, which helped as they received the title in 2022-23.
Key to that is what Slot calls ‘the crew behind the crew’, led by head of efficiency Ruben Peeters. The 32-year-old has a Masters diploma in sport science from Leuven, a Belgian college, and is a specialist in what intelligent youngsters name ‘periodisation’.
This sees Peeters know precisely how strenuous exercise should be on a sure day and the way laborious to push every participant with out inflicting their our bodies to have detrimental reactions because of overworking. He palms Slot briefings on this so he is aware of simply how lengthy a coaching session ought to final.
It definitely reduces the factor of misfortune within the damage room, although nobody can legislate in opposition to luck on this regard – simply take a look at Manchester Metropolis’s Ballon d’Or contender Rodri, a person with a peak physique now out for the season.
Slot believes within the crew behind the crew, led by head of efficiency Ruben Peeters (centre)
For 3 seasons beneath Slot, Feyenoord’s participant availability ranges have been above 90 per cent
Liverpool do, although, have two high quality gamers for every place. They have been steadfast in rejecting bids for No 2 goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who the membership consider is the very best substitute stopper within the league, and have been vindicated now Alisson is out for round six weeks.
When Diogo Jota acquired a knock on Sunday, £85million man Darwin Nunez stepped up with a stellar efficiency. With Alexis Mac Allister not 100 per cent, new father Curtis Jones began and put in a man-of-the-match show.
The listing of top-class back-ups can go on, with sources citing competitors for locations as a key cause for a number of gamers fixing inconsistency points. Followers slammed a below-par switch window however Federico Chiesa at £10m means they now have six star forwards.
One pressured reservation can be that the back-up choices aren’t as quality-laden as these at Metropolis. With three of their finest 4 gamers absent – Rodri, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne – the champions are nonetheless grinding out outcomes, even when performances have left a bit to be desired…
By way of squad depth, the likes of Darwin Nunez have proven they’re succesful deputies
Is their steely defence a fluke?
Solely time will inform if the very best defence within the league is right here to remain or not, with Liverpool having a neater fixture run than every other crew within the division thus far. However with simply three objectives conceded in eight league matches, they’re proving a cussed outfit to interrupt down.
Their 0.38 objectives conceded per sport trumps even Chelsea’s document from 2004-05, after they conceded simply 15 occasions at a charge of 0.39 per 90 minutes. Extra importantly for them, although, is when evaluating that statistic to the 1.08 objectives in opposition to per sport final season.
Liverpool are additionally conceding fewer pictures and the anticipated objectives (xG) tally is far diminished from final season. Slot thinks an enormous cause for his or her steely rearguard is due to what they do on the ball, although.
As a substitute of being in a rush to cost ahead – which may go away them open to the counter-attack – Liverpool at the moment are far more affected person and look to ‘kill the opposition with passes,’ as Ryan Gravenberch put it in an interview final week.
Captain Virgil van Dijk seems to be within the type of his life at 33. Tying him all the way down to a brand new deal is essential for the mid-term success of the membership – and they’re in open negotiations with the Dutchman, although the 2 events are but to achieve an settlement.
Liverpool have the very best defence within the Premier League thus far, conceding three objectives with Virgil van Dijk within the type of his life
Can they kind out their kind in opposition to fellow ‘Huge Six’ golf equipment?
Final season, Liverpool received simply two of 10 matches in opposition to fellow ‘Huge Six’ opponents and have been fourth in a mini-league between these sides. That noticed Arsenal take 10 extra factors from the standard title rivals than Klopp’s males, clearly a difficulty.
To be the very best, you’ve got to beat the very best. Liverpool and Slot know they need to repair this if they’re to triumph within the new head coach’s first marketing campaign. The early indicators are promising, with a 3-0 win at United and a 2-1 win on Sunday in opposition to Chelsea.
Slot has requested followers and pundits to evaluate his crew after the following run of video games, which sees them journey to Arsenal this weekend earlier than internet hosting Metropolis on December 1. In addition they play high-flying Aston Villa and Brighton within the subsequent month – to not point out some difficult European ties.
One grievance final yr from Klopp was the dearth of environment at Anfield, which is an ongoing debate among the many fanbase. It definitely has not been nearly as good as it may be – although it was on Sunday – and they’ll want the gang when enjoying these large groups at dwelling.
The Reds want to enhance their kind in opposition to fellow ‘Huge Six’ golf equipment, however have already overwhelmed two this season
Is it too early for Slot to trump Guardiola and Arteta?
If the great begin has proven one factor above all, it’s that Slot is snug standing within the shadow of his predecessor, Klopp. If any followers feared a drop-off akin to when Sir Alex Ferguson left United, they have been unsuitable.
From speaking to gamers and people near them, it’s clear that everybody within the squad is motivated to make sure this isn’t the case. Though they won’t have identified it, the brand new faces within the teaching division may need helped everybody after a number of intense years of Klopp.
One factor Slot lacks that rivals Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta do have is expertise of those intense, rollercoaster title tussles. Saying that, his meticulous consideration to element is proving an enormous think about Liverpool’s early-season successes.
The 46-year-old boss hosts every day conferences together with his gamers – Conor Bradley described it as like ‘going again to highschool’ – with Slot’s assistant coaches additionally conducting classes wealthy in video evaluation and an emphasis on discovering issues to enhance.
Even when a participant places in a 9 out of 10 efficiency, they are going to be guided on easy methods to make it higher. Stars like Gravenberch, Ibrahima Konate and Luis Diaz – who’ve all suffered from consistency points previously – are benefitting from the additional teaching.
Slot lacks the expertise of shut title races, which the likes of Pep Guardiola (pictured) and Mikel Arteta have
Arteta is anticipated to problem for the Premier League title for the third yr in a row with Arsenal
Who will dire them to the title?
As talked about earlier, the dearth of a fully-fit Salah was pricey for Liverpool within the second half of final season. The Egyptian suffered an damage when on worldwide obligation on the Africa Cup of Nations and performed simply seven 90 minutes of the 21 video games after the flip of the yr.
That noticed him rating simply 4 objectives after New 12 months’s Day in comparison with 14 earlier than that and it felt just like the Reds missed their talisman. Now after skipping the Olympics in the summertime, Salah seems to be as sharp as he has completed for a number of years.
If they’re to win the title, they want Salah to stay at peak health for many of the season – which is able to most likely take resting him in some cup competitions in opposition to his finest needs. With 5 objectives and 5 assists in eight league video games beneath Slot, he’s displaying no indicators of ageing.
Having Mohamed Salah match and firing will probably be important for any Premier League title cost
However the 32-year-old will need assistance from colleagues chipping in with objectives, because the likes of Luis Diaz, Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Jota both didn’t rating sufficient or hold match for lengthy sufficient final time period. The early indicators are promising, although, particularly from Jota and Diaz.
All three of Metropolis, Arsenal and Liverpool are sharing the objectives round effectively thus far this season – with large objectives from the likes of John Stones, Gabriel and Ibrahima Konate springing to thoughts – however the Reds will need assistance from everywhere in the pitch if Salah is to have an off day.
