---
title: "Top pundits predicting this will be Liverpool’s year"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/top-pundits-predicting-this-will-be-liverpools-year/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Brian Gosden"
section: "Articles"
published: "2018-08-16T08:22:06Z"
modified: "2018-08-16T08:39:43Z"
---

# Top pundits predicting this will be Liverpool’s year

Three months ago, the footballing world was talking about Manchester City’s Premier League domination as if it were an inescapable fact. The Blues were in a league of their own last year, and there was widespread consensus that 2018/19 would be more of the same, with Liverpool’s highest aspiration likely to be a battle with United, Chelsea and Spurs to be best of the rest.

Over recent weeks, however, there has been a feeling of change in the air. It is not just the optimism that comes with a new season and inevitably infects the Anfield faithful; a recent straw pollamong Premier League journalists had two out of eight backing Liverpool for the title this year, while bookmakers have shortened the odds from 5/1 in May to 4/1 now, with some going as short as 7/2.

**An intense transfer season**

So what has happened since May to make the pundits think twice about Manchester City’s supremacy? In short, very little – Pep Guardiola has, by and large, adopted an attitude of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and few would fault his logic. The biggest change is that Jurgen Klopp has spent the past couple of months busier than any other Premier League manager to craft a team that can take down the champions.

![Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/readliverpoolfc/2018/08/1015527912.jpg)

Fabinho and Keita will change the face of the Liverpool midfield, and could just be a match for anyone, while the signing of winger Xherdan Shaqiri on a £13 million deal from Stoke City might just be looked back upon as the bargain of the transfer season. Just when we thought the big deals were done, [along came Alisson](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/18/liverpool-increase-alisson-offer-and-close-on-world-record-deal), at €75 million, the most expensive goalkeeper in history.

**Keeping the power down**

Last year, one area in which Liverpool was a match for anyone was up front. That’s largely down to the incredible performance of Mohamed Salah who outscored even the perennial golden boot winner Harry Kane to finish with 46 goals in all competitions.

Naturally, there will be concerns of second season syndrome striking, but even if he struggles to match last year’s performance, with Firminho and Mane by his side, this is being seen as the most formidable attack in the Premier League – perhaps even in Europe.

**What can go wrong?**

An attack that is the envy of the league, a great new midfield and a proven defence, bolstered by the small matter of the world’s most expensive goalkeeper. When you take a step back and look at it from that perspective, it is easy to see why the impartial observers are giving Klopp’s new unit as much attention as they are. It also makes those 4/1 odds look all the more tantalising. So what can go wrong?

Before we get too excited, we need to think again about what happened last year. City were imperious, and although they have made very few changes – Riyad Mahrez is the only signing of note – they will not have become any worse. The real question is whether the new improved Liverpool team is going to be capable of that step up to play at the new level City defined last season.

![Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/readliverpoolfc/2018/08/1015574628.jpg)

Respected German football journalist Raphael Honigstein certainly thinks so. He [told the Daily Star](https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/721308/Liverpool-Man-City-Premier-League-Jurgen-Klopp-Pep-Guardiola-Sky-Sports-Riyad-Mahrez) that the only ingredient that is potentially lacking from making Liverpool a Premier League winning team is consistency. We already know that even before the big name signings, this was a team that could take on and beat the biggest teams. In some respects, that wasn’t the problem last year – after all, who could forget that 4-3 victory over City in January? The issue was encapsulated by what happened just a week later, with a 1-0 loss to Swansea, and then being bundled out of the FA Cup at the hands of West Brom.

**Getting off on the right foot**

Soon, the time for talking will be over. Liverpool is not the only team to have made personnel changes over the summer, and you can [read more about the Premier League here](https://sportsbet.io/news/three-loan-players-that-could-take-the-premier-league-by-storm-next-season) to see some of the other names that could have a big impact. However, nowhere else has devoted the same level of investment into developing a unit that can seriously challenge City. It all begins against West Ham on 12 August – and nothing less than victory will do to get the campaign off on the right foot.