When Jürgen Klopp’s team traipsed back into the dressing room at half time at Anfield on Saturday, little did they know their season was at a key crossroads. The Reds trailed 0-1 at the half to a Crystal Palace team that they’d put under the cosh for most of the match.
It’s true that Palace, managed by former Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson and currently sitting three points off the drop zone, perhaps don’t represent the toughestof challenges this season. But it’s often in fixtures like that which can put a dent into a team’s title aspirations.
Liverpool had the majority of possession and attacked with intent, coming close with a number of chances before Palace scored off a brace from Andros Townsend. It’s easy for a team to succumb to frustration and to lose their focus, but Liverpool came out in the second half firing at all cylinders. Palace counterattacked with intent but the Reds promptly got the job done in the end.
The cheers from the crowd coupled with players’ fists raised high demonstrated just how important a hard-fought victory like this can be. Liverpool showed a grit and determination that will make all the difference come May.
Even former England international turned pundit and staunch Man United fan Rio Ferdinand had to admit in his post match appraisal that the prospect of Liverpool’s title challenge had been given a considerable boost saying,
If you’re Manchester City, you see a glimmer of hope with a couple of dodgy results and [then] they start doing this, where they don’t play particularly well at times, but they’re getting results and I feel that’s scary for the opposition. It’s a frightening prospect really and they are the team to beat.
Liverpool are currently odds on favourites by the majority of the bookies to take the Premier League title back to Anfield for the first time in 28 years. This represents a considerable shift since the start of the season. You can follow Liverpool’s battle towards title glory with dedicated Premier League betting tips every step of the way.
It’s at times like this that the shift from last season is truly palpable. Klopp’s vision seemed to be coming to fruition in the previous campaign with a Champions League final, an impressive Premier League campaign, and the type of silky, flowing and effortless football great teams are often built on.
One of key reasons for this is Klopp’s ability to identify and isolate what his teams need to do to in order to improve, making the necessary adjustments and bringing in the right players accordingly. Liverpool’s main weakness last season was no doubt at the back. Klopp identified that problem and splashed out £70 million on Virgil van Dijk, a move that was brought into question by many but is now reaping rewards.
Klopp continued to dip into the transfer market during the summer, showing a much needed ruthlessness in replacing Loris Karius with Brazilian shot stopper Allison Becker and reinforcing his central line with defensive midfielder Fabinho.
It’s no wonder then that Liverpool are conceding fewer goals than last season. True that the 4-3 victory over Crystal Palace might not be the best example, but over the course of the season so far there has been a marked difference. In fact Palace marks only the second time Liverpool have conceded more than one goal in a Premier League match this season. In contrast, that point had already been reached by round six in September during the 2017/18 campaign.
The difference then can clearly be seen in defence, but Klopp has made sure that sturdiness and improvements in their defensive line haven’t come at the cost of attacking prowess. Liverpool’s magnificent front three of Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah are still a force to be reckoned with.
Once again, no player epitomises Liverpool’s march forwardunder Klopp’s regime than Salah. The Egyptian forward became the Premier League top scorer last season with 36 goals, shattering the record in the process.
The injury he picked up in the Champions League final no doubt affected his performance for Egypt at the World Cup, and many Liverpool fans had due cause for concern watching him in Russia, with the likelihood of a burnout a real possibility. But once again Salah is proving his worth, his class and his resilience by topping the goal scoring table and contributing key goals that make the difference.
Title slip ups are always a danger as we enter the business end of the Premier League season, and the Reds will soon have to juggle Champions League football on top of an already congested fixture list.
Current Liverpool sponsors BetVictor along with many other betting sites still have decent odds on Liverpool to take the title. You can read a BetVictor review if you’re interested in having a punt, it’s a smart idea to back the Reds before the odds start to drop with every coming victory.
Often good teams have a standout season but can drop off quite quickly once the momentum is gone. Liverpool however have bounced on in a big way this time round.
There are many factors why Liverpool are top of the table and why they’ve improved on last season, but it’s no wonder that Jürgen Klopp’s team are putting in gritty, title winning performances. If Liverpool can carry on down the same path, it’s only a matter of time before that excruciating 28 year wait is finally over.
