Premier League - Is Liverpool Still A Contender?

Each club is a shareholder in the Premier League and must abide by the rules of football that are defined by the Premier League, the Football Association (FA), the Union of European Football Association (UEFA), and Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). At the end of each season of the league, an annual meeting is held in which the bottom three teams are relegated to the Championship, the second tier of English football. 

Only six clubs have been able to stick around in the Premier League ever since it was introduced. These clubs are Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur. Even so, only four of these six clubs have won the top title in English football, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool. With the 2020/21 season underway, all teams are looking to excel in the league and hopefully land the top prize. For this reason, football fans and enthusiasts alike are looking to stay on top of every game while rooting for their favorite teams. English soccer upcoming games, statistics and predictions are key when looking to follow up on your favorite clubs. Fortunately, several platforms can provide you with all this information instantaneously. 

Having won the 2019/20 season, Liverpool is looking to retain their league title this season. However, Liverpool has had one of their worst Premier League starts ever and lost many key players due to injury. All this has brought great worry to everyone who supports the club. Moreover, other top clubs in the Premier League aren’t willing to let Liverpool have the last laugh. Many people are left wondering whether the Reds are still title contenders this season, given that only a few games are remaining. 

Liverpool’s Form So Far

Liverpool has had a somewhat shaky form this season. Despite a decent start, the club suffered a huge away defeat against Aston Villa on Matchweek four. This defeat proved to be quite a blow for the club as they had to settle for a draw against Everton in the following game. Even so, after a well-deserved win at Bramall Lane, the Reds regained their winning form. The club maintained a good performance, mostly when playing at home. However, the same can’t be said about their form while on the road. That being said, Liverpool displayed an exemplary performance against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. They defeated The Eagles seven goals to nil with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino both scoring a brace. Be that as it may, the Reds suffered a terrible streak of games from Matchweek 15 through 19. The club was held to a goalless draw by Newcastle and Manchester United and suffered defeats against Burnley and Southampton. 

Nevertheless, Liverpool has seemingly bounced back with an away triumph against Tottenham Hotspur that brought them to fourth place. Although they failed to maintain a clean sheet, it seems like the club is finally back to winning ways. Despite the hurdles, the club has been able to keep an impressive average of 1.85 points per game. Some of the players that have made a pivotal impact on the club’s performance this season include Mohamed Salah, who has scored 13 goals for the club, Sadio Mane with seven goals, Roberto Firmino with six goals, and the newly signed Diogo Jota. After 20 matches, Liverpool looks quite solid with ten wins, seven draws, and only three losses. 

Major Injuries

Unfortunately, the injury bug has hit Liverpool hard this season, with several key players missing in action due to various complications. Five players have suffered serious injuries so far this season. Trent Alexander-Arnold has been out for a month, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are out due to knee injuries, Keita has suffered a muscle injury and Matip is out due to an ankle injury. Missing these key players has had a detrimental impact on the club’s performance. What’s more, given that van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world, his absence alone has caused great trouble to Liverpool’s defense. Still, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Reds as Trent made an immediate impact after returning to the club’s starting eleven. The world-class fullback scored a goal and was actively involved in other crucial chance creations on their last fixture against Spurs. 

Key Transfers

It wouldn’t be fair to discuss Liverpool’s recent form without giving credit to the new signings who have made an immediate impact on the club. Diogo Jota was the most valuable player to sign for Liverpool during the summer transfer window. The talented forward was released from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a whopping 45 million Euros. Jota has made nine appearances for the club and scored five goals since his signing. Thiago Alcantara is yet another big signing made by Jurgen Klopp’s this season. Bundesliga behemoth, Bayern Munich, sold the Spanish midfielder to the Reds for 25 million euros. According to Klopp, Thiago is supposed to be the final piece to his ultimate starting eleven. 

Liverpool’s Major Competitors in The Title Race

As Liverpool look to defend their first league title in 30 years, other clubs in the Premier League aren’t about to let this happen. Several other significant clubs including those from the top six are all looking to clinch the top position in English football. Even so, only a few are capable of giving the Reds a run for their money. The only clubs that are currently ahead of Liverpool in the league are Manchester City, Manchester United, and Leicester City. These three clubs are currently the only ones that pose a threat to Liverpool. Even so, other top clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur and Everton are still capable of snatching the trophy from the Reds. 

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that Liverpool is currently one of the strongest sides in English football. However, due to the club’s recent hurdles, many people wonder whether it still is a title contender. The remaining fixtures for Liverpool provide it with a chance to make it out on top; which means that the club is technically a title contender.