Liverpool’s 0-0 draw to their struggling rivals Manchester United on Sunday has seen many since question their credentials within this seemingly open Premier League title race.
Both Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville stated that they couldn’t see Liverpool winning the league after the match, and with this weekend seeing a crucial top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal, the question of whether Liverpool can win the league is now at its most pressing.
Put simply, Liverpool were poor at the weekend. United went to Anfield with a clear gameplan and executed it effectively, despite conceding 69% possession and 34 shots.
Liverpool looked sloppy and frankly ran out of ideas. They never truly challenged Onana, and displayed a highly inaccurate attack, with only 8 of their 34 shots finding the target. It was an unconvincing performance, to say the least.
Arguably, this has been a theme of Liverpool’s season. You only have to think back to Harvey Elliot’s last-minute winner against Crystal Palace last week, in a performance that once again failed to indicate Liverpool to be the best team in the league. Conceding three at home to Fulham, and a draw to newly promoted Luton away, are more results showing the fragility that looms within this Liverpool side.
Now being dubbed the ‘comeback kings’ also indicates their vulnerability, as they have gained 18 points this season from losing positions and have scored 39% of their goals this season between the 76th and 90th minute, implying an absence of a full 90-minute performance.
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In contrast, this statistic also displays Liverpool’s ability to always push for the win right up until the final whistle. Whilst they may not be the finished article technically, they do have the mentality required to win games they potentially do not deserve, which has always been a crucial attribute for any title-winning side.
It is because Liverpool is second in the league, losing the least number of games of any side, whilst failing to offer performances to their full potential, that they must be feared within this title race.
Jurgen Klopp had to completely rebuild his midfield this season, recruiting four new players for his ‘engine room’, whilst also dealing with the loss of many key figures in the position and leaders in the squad, namely captain Jordan Henderson and vice-captain James Milner.
This shift in personnel, in a crucial area on the pitch, led the consensus to be that this would be a transition year for Liverpool, with qualification for next year’s Champion League allowed to be viewed as a successful season.
On that basis, Liverpool are ahead of schedule in their rebuild, with Klopp surely taking confidence from the fact his side have picked up so many points without truly getting out of second or third gear.
He must have confidence in the assertion that this team can only improve over time, allowing his new-look midfield to truly integrate itself.
With potentially strengthening his squad in January, perhaps with the signing of another centre-back (as Joel Matip has been cruelly ruled out for the remainder of the season) or another specialist holding midfielder (as new singing Wataru Endō has not been fully entrusted) Klopp will certainly feel confident that Liverpool can push the likes of Arsenal and City all the way.
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Knowing many in his side have experience winning big trophies, specifically the Premier League, they have proven they can go toe-to-toe with City in terms of long-running undefeated streaks.
As always injuries will be crucial in deciding the league, and the loss of Mohammed Salah in January to the African Cup of Nations will be sizeable to Liverpool, particularly with the current form of Darwin Núñez, who continues to be unreliable despite a fast start to the season.
However, as long as their crucial players, such as Alison Becker and Virgil van Dijk stay fit with team cohesion growing throughout the season, Liverpool will be a major player in the fight for this season’s Premier League title.
I can see Liverpool running out of steam towards the end of the season.