Jurgen Klopp’s dream end to his Anfield career has come to a demoralizing halt. Liverpool have hit a run of poor form that initially started with a 4-3 defeat to rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup.
A 2-2 draw in the league fixture at Old Trafford saw the Reds lose their lead at the top of the Premier League. Then a shock 3-0 loss at home to Atalanta all but ended their hopes of winning the Europa League. Things got even worse for Liverpool as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, which moved them behind the unforgiving Manchester City in the title race.
This poor Liverpool form means Klopp is likely to leave Anfield having just won the Carabao Cup in his final season. There will be no dream farewell, however, the Reds 2023/24 campaign has by no means been a failure.
Poor Liverpool Form Does Not Make Their Season a Failure
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Liverpool Have Defied Preseason Expectations
Following a disruptive summer, Liverpool’s 2023/24 season was expected to be a transition year. An aging and misfiring side had only finished fifth the previous year and there had been major transfer movement in the Reds midfield as a result.
Captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho departed and left Wataru Endo, an unproven 31-year-old signed for just £16.4 million from Stuttgart, as the only natural defensive midfielder at Anfield.
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Many pundits doubted Liverpool’s ability to compete for the Premier League title, only 11 of the 27 journalists questioned for BBC’s predictions put Klopp’s side in their top three and the Reds were left out of six top fours entirely.
The FourFourTwo magazine only expected Liverpool to finish fourth, further showing how pundits doubted the Reds’ title aspirations this season. The fact that Klopp’s side were leading the league at the beginning of April shows how well the German had brought his new-look side together.
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Liverpool also defied expectations to win the Carabao Cup during an injury crisis. Eleven first-team players missed the final at Wembley and the Reds spent the majority of extra time with a team made up of academy graduates. The result showed the spirit in the squad and the talent in Liverpool’s youth teams that Klopp’s successor will be inheriting.
When looking back on the season as a whole, it is hard to consider it a failure. Liverpool have gone from an aging side in need of a serious rebuild to a team that is prepared to compete on four fronts again under a new manager next year.
Klopp’s Departure Shouldn’t Cloud Fans Judgement
When Liverpool’s long-serving manager announced he’d be leaving at the end of the season, fans became hungry for their team to finish his reign with as many trophies as possible. Now, fans are showing their frustration with the Reds looking likely to finish the season with just the Carabao Cup.
Fans are right to be disappointed. Klopp should be ending his Anfield reign with more than one league title, his sides have three of the top ten points tallies in Premier League history.
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However, that isn’t this team’s fault. The 2023/24 Liverpool side has achieved much more than anyone expected and should be praised not criticized. Klopp has been involved in three of the most hotly contested title races ever and, as a result, has missed on the glory of some other Premier League greats.
He still has a legacy as one of the best Liverpool and Premier League managers ever and his last game at Anfield should be a celebration, regardless of whether the Reds can add to their trophy cabinet.
