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Roberto Firmino’s goal sealed a 1-0 win for Liverpool over Tottenham Hotspur in what was supposed to be a potentially tricky encounter for the Reds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. The result also gave Liverpool their best start to a league season and extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to a massive 14 points with a game in hand.
At this point in the season, every Liverpool game seems like one more step towards their holy grail, a first title in the Premier League era. However, if they do go on to squander what seems to be an unassailable lead from this point on, it will go down as one the biggest slip-ups in the history of the game itself.
More devastatingly for Liverpool, it would also bring back the horrible memories of the last time they let the title slip from their grasp, following Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip against Chelsea in 2014 which allowed Manchester City to take home the Premier League crown. More importantly, Liverpool might never get a better opportunity to exorcise the demons of their past. Assuming that they do go on to win the league, it may also lay the foundations for the return of their glory days in English football, which has eluded them for the last three decades. Whichever way things play out from now until the end of the season, Liverpool’s campaign will certainly go down in history for one reason or the other, but only time will tell whether it will be remembered for good or for bad.
Here are five things we’ve learnt about Liverpool based on their stellar performances so far:
#5 Virgil van Dijk and Alisson are worth every penny that Liverpool paid for them
The Dutchman and the Brazilian have both proven their worth on a consistent basis and have been a large part of the reason why the Reds have the best defensive record in the Premier League so far this season.
Moreover, the duo have both gone on to stake their claim for the best defender and goalkeeper in the world respectively, with Van Dijk also notching up three goals so far. Truth be told, one could very well claim that Van Dijk and Alisson have already repaid the club with their performances so far, but the most satisfying part for Liverpool fans should be that both these players have their best years ahead of them and they will most certainly spend a large part of their respective heydays at Anfield.
On the other hand, this prospect is certain to send shivers down the spine of Liverpool’s opponents in the years to come. As Sir Alex Ferguson once famously said, ‘Attack wins you games, but defence wins you titles’. With Alisson and Van Dijk in their ranks, Liverpool not only looks set to get their hands on that elusive Premier League crown this year but they also look ready to dominate world football in the years to come.
#4 Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson are putting midfielders to shame
The role of the full-backs in football is one that has evolved significantly over the years. Not so long ago, a full-back’s primary responsibility was to help out defensively and then go ahead and join the attack, if he had the legs to do so. This is not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination and very few players have managed to find the fine balance between both these roles.
Fortunately, Liverpool are now blessed with not one, but two players in the form of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson, who can manage both these responsibilities. Together, the duo are redefining the role of full-backs in the modern game. Not only are Alexander-Arnold and Robertson resolute in defence, they always carry a threat to the opposition while going forward. And the duo have 17 goals and assists between them in the Premier League so far this season to show for their efforts. To put that into context, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams have together one goal and one assist for Manchester United so far in the Premier League this season.
Alexander-Arnold and Robertson are so potent going forward that they are responsible for the vast majority of Liverpool’s creative play, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the duo does the midfielders jobs for them. But as things stand, they have been doing the job exceedingly well and when you have the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohammad Salah and Roberto Firmino in attack to profit from their creativity, it makes for a great sight.
#3 Roberto Firmino will happily go down as Liverpool's unsung hero
The Premier League has witnessed some deadly attacking trios over the years, from Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez to Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt. And in the years to come, one can be certain that Sadio Mane, Mohammad Salah and Roberto Firmino will all be held in similarly high regard.
However, while Salah and Mane’s exploits are well documented, Firmino’s contributions often fly under the radar. The Brazilian may not be as prolific as his strike partners, but he continues to make significant contributions on a regular basis and the winner against Tottenham Hotspur is proof of his importance to the side. Perhaps the most important thing that the former Hoffenheim striker brings to Liverpool is his energy and desire to tirelessly work for the greater good of the team. Firmino’s true greatness lies in the fact that he is completely alright with putting his personal interests aside and focusing only on the greater good of the team.
The 28-year-old may never go on to win the Ballon d'Or, but anyone who has ever played the game will certainly vouch for his consistent contributions. As Gary Neville pointed out after the game on Sunday, “Any manager in the world would have him!” and based on his performances so far this season, it is hard to argue against that statement. If Liverpool does go on to win the Premier League this year and thereby end their 30-year wait for domestic glory, Firmino will certainly go down as the unsung hero of their historic campaign but given the Brazilian’s demeanour, he will certainly be more than happy to play that role.
#2 Spare a thought for Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp’s arrival on Merseyside back in 2015 made headlines for a variety of different reasons. Having made a name for himself in Germany with Borussia Dortmund, everyone wondered if the 52-year-old would be able to recreate his magic in England with Liverpool. More importantly, football fans waited with bated breath to see if Klopp could recreate his high-pressing style of football on Merseyside. And less than five years later, it is plain to see that the answer to both those questions is a resounding yes. Klopp has managed to recreate his magic with Liverpool and dare I say, he has raised the bar during his tenure at Anfield.
But perhaps the biggest positive impact that Klopp has had on this Liverpool is not a physical one, but a psychological one. Over the course of his tenure at Anfield, Klopp has managed to instil a winning mentality in his team.
One of the biggest differences between this Liverpool side and their predecessors is that they have always found a way to win games, so far. Though the Reds have had their fair share of luck this season, it will be harsh to say that they do not deserve all their results so far, and the win over Spurs is testament to this. Liverpool face another old enemy in the form of Manchester United next Sunday and one can trust Klopp to find a way past Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s unpredictable side.
Klopp’s managerial acumen as well as his man-management abilities are certain to hold Liverpool in good stead as they enter the final stretch of what could potentially be a historic campaign. And if Liverpool’s performances up until now are anything to go by, Klopp is all set to write his name into Premier League folklore.
#1 This could be the start of something special for Liverpool
With six European titles to their name, Liverpool are one of the most decorated clubs in the world. However, domestic success has somehow always eluded them for the last three decades. But as things stand, Klopp and his men are all set to exorcise their demons and finally get their hands on the coveted Premier League trophy in May. Liverpool’s prospective title win and the fact that they are the defending European champions could signal the start of a new era of dominance for the Reds.
And the best part of Liverpool’s march to glory is the way in which they are doing it, by playing some of the most exciting football that anyone can dream of watching. If Klopp and his men do go on to win the title, even their most bitter rivals would struggle to say that they did not deserve to be champions. As far as the fans are concerned, they could very well be on the verge of breaking the glass ceiling. But at the same time, they must also realise that they are on the verge of something much greater as the Premier League win holds the key to what could be consistent world dominance for some time to come. Liverpool are their one and only enemy from now on till the end of the season.
As the season heads into its latter stages in a few months time, the Reds will have to find a way to keep calm and not let the weight of history take a toll on them. Only time will tell if Liverpool do go on to achieve their holy grail and win the Premier League at last, but their potential journey to glory is certainly bound to keep football fans around the world intrigued from now till the end of the season.
