Can Liverpool win the Premier League? The optimism among their fans following Crystal Palace’s Andros Townsend-inspired miracle at the Ethiad is understandable. Manchester City’s surprise defeat put the Merseysiders four points in front. Liverpool are top of the table at Christmas, which is a bit of a mixed omen. Over the past ten seasons, the leaders on December 25 have gone on to win the league on eight occasions. The two times they’ve failed were both Liverpool, in 2008/09 and 2013/14.
Can Jurgen Klopp Lead Liverpool to the Premier League Title?
Let’s assume that the top two teams do not drop any more points in December. If that happens then the marquee clash in the first week of 2019 may have major consequences. A City win would put them just a point behind Liverpool. A draw would be a terrific result for the Reds. A win for them would mean a cushion of seven points and a wave of positivity difficult to pull back. Of course, all this is conjecture. Liverpool have two home games against Newcastle and Arsenal before then, while Manchester City are away to Leicester and Southampton. Also, as we saw in the City v Palace game, the Premier League is full of surprises.
So, can Liverpool do it? It’s too early to significantly tell but the signs are all right. The pessimist may point out to the absence of Joe Gomez and Joel Matip until what could be the end of January. It’s a fair point, as an injury to any of the current centre-backs, especially the exceptional Virgil van Dijk, could mean trouble. On the other hand, if both are fit when the others return, Liverpool will have high-quality cover for a defense that is easily the best in the league.
It’s their midfield, however, that could hold the key to glory. Fabinho and Naby Keita are settling in and with Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Adam Lallana – there are an abundance of excellent options. It also helps that players like Fabinho and Milner can play in multiple positions.
As for their attack, the thrilling triumvirate has still not hit the heights of last season. Mohamed Salah, for all his recent form, can probably still do better, as can Sadio Mane. Roberto Firmino is playing a different position but even he should perhaps be putting out better numbers. It’s not a criticism. The potential of them hitting their straps as individuals and as a collective unit is a thrilling prospect for the Reds’ fan and the neutral.
So, to answer the question at the beginning, Liverpool can win the League. So can Manchester City, owing to their obvious quality. The excellent Spurs, who for some reason no one is talking about, are by no means out of the question, however.
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