The English Premier League Top Six: Stating Their Case for the Title
Liverpool: Guns Blazin'
1) In his first full season in charge at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp heavy-metaled LFC to just their second Top Four finish in the last eight seasons, and -- as of August 10th -- they've succeeded in retaining every key member from that squad. If it ain’t broke…
2) Of the 27 league games that featured Sadio Mane in the lineup last season, Liverpool notched 17 wins, 7 draws and 3 defeats. When the Senegalese wide made missed time because of African Cup of Nations duty in January and then to injury late on, the Reds went 5-3-3. Mane -- who averaged a goal every other match last season -- is now fully healthy.
3) Tied with Mane for the club lead in EPL goals in 2016-17 was Philippe Coutinho, with last season doubling as his best to date in England. Still only 25, the little Brazilian hasn’t left for Catalonia (yet), and that’s a huge boost to LFC’s domestic and continental aspirations, as replacing his creativity and production from midfield -- 13 goals and 7 assists in the league last year – would be a tall task, indeed.
4) The summer transfer window is not closed yet, and while some at Anfield might wish it would shut sooner than later for reasons mentioned above, hope still remains that another first-team player -- or two -- can be acquired. It’s hard to put title dreams on the backs of people who don’t actually play for the club yet, but with the official transfer request of long-sought-after Virgil Van Dijk now in the hands of the Southampton board, the chances of the Reds adding reinforcements to their rearguard feels more likely than it did a week ago.
5) Regardless of who else arrives this summer, LFC’s success will still be centered on a rotating high-press that forced 719 tackles last season, the second-most in the league. The acquisition of speed merchant Mohamed Salah from Roma up front won’t hurt in that regard, and if he can replicate his offensive form of last season that saw him account for 15 goals and 11 assists in Serie A, all the better.
6) The last two occasions that Liverpool finished in the Top Four, they crashed hard the following season, dropping from 2nd to 7th in 2009-10 and from 2nd to 6th in 2014-15. Klopp, of course, will know all about that recent history and be determined to reverse that trend. Despite the added European fixtures ahead, LFC feel more equipped than ever to handle two fronts, and if they can find that balance and keep scoring, who’s to say they can’t earn their first league title since 1990?
