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Mid-way through the season, Liverpool is the clear favorite to win the title. They have been scoring goals for fun. They have conceded only eight goals from 20 Premier League games so far.
They are at the top of the table and are so far unbeaten in the league. The second-placed team is seven points behind - it pretty much looks like they will win the league. For a team which has faced regular criticism for not challenging the English football crown more often than they should, Liverpool FC finally looks like this could indeed be their year.
There are very few remaining who would still doubt their march towards their first-ever Premier League title. Here are three reasons why Liverpool can finally win that elusive silverware.
#3 Klopp's Signings
In his 4-year-tenure as the Red's boss, one of the most significant thing that Jürgen Klopp has achieved is signing the correct players and playing them to their full strength. It's one of Klopp's notable prowess - his man-management skills are utterly sublime.
Be it breaking the bank for signing Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker in 2018 or taking a leap of faith by signing Mohamed Salah last season (isn't is surprising that it's just been two seasons since we have been witnessing the Egyptian's magic?) when his previous appearance on the English shores was abysmal, to say the least.
All of Klopp's recent signings have had a significant hand in helping Liverpool climb to the summit of the Premier League table this season. While Salah is leading the goal-scoring chart with 13 goals, Alisson is leading the clean-sheets chart with 12 clean sheets. Also, van Dijk is rated by many sports pundits as one of the best Premier League defenders in recent times. These are all proof of how Klopp's signings are repaying his faith in them.
#2 - Team balance
Although the terrifying front trio of Salah-Mane-Firminho has been ripping apart defenses since early last season, one of the primary reasons why Liverpool ended the season a distant fourth was their leaky defense.
Liverpool had conceded more than 20 goals by the end of December 2017 last season. In stark comparison, they have conceded only eight goals so far this season. That speaks volumes about van Dijk's influence on the team after he joined the team mid-way last season. Liverpool conceded little more than 20 goals this calendar year after the arrival of Van Dijk.
Fast-forward to present, Liverpool has a balanced team now. Watching Liverpool play is bliss these days. Everyone from the goalkeeper to the defense all the way up to the strikers via the midfielders functions like a well-oiled machine.
#1 The winning psychology
If you have not been keenly observing, every Premier League champion - be it the generations of players under Ferguson's United or the swagger-inducing talent of Guardiola or the tough-as-nuts champions of Mourinho's Chelsea and even the surprising champions of Ranieri's Leicester, a common theme that tied them all was their unshaken belief. All of them firmly believed that nothing could stop them from winning the league. So strong was their confidence in themselves that even the opponents feared their invincibility.
For instance, imagine a Manchester City squad traveling to Anfield this season versus last season. Unlike last season, City players would no longer brush this off as a tough challenge. Somewhere deep down, like everybody else, City would be worried about losing to this team. That's what winning psychology does to you.
Back when Leicester was on their way to winning the league, a handful of teams including a few big ones were already convinced that Leicester is bound to win the title. That entirely changed the way they approached a game against Leicester City. The opponents no longer believed they could get a victory out of Ranieri's foxes. They knew Leicester would chase down loose balls, and almost always get that winning goal.
Klopp has instilled that winning psychology in every Liverpool player. They are fearlessly passing the ball around, knowing that somewhere down the line they will win it.
The belief is finally back at Anfield that they can win any team anytime.
