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#3 Liverpool and many other Premier League clubs could have a fairly busy January transfer window
The end of December always brings around not just a flurry of Premier League football but also growing anticipation, as the January transfer window draws ever closer.
This year, even with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing football to a halt and the finances of virtually every club around the world subsequently taking a hit, there wasn’t much of a dip in transfer activity in the summer, especially in the Premier League.
Additionally, with the way that the current season has panned out, there are several English teams that would be looking to dip into the transfer market come January, with West Brom and Liverpool being two such clubs, albeit for different reasons.
The Baggies became the first club to part ways with their manager, appointing Sam Allardyce, to help them stay up this season. They would no doubt be looking to pick up an experienced head here and there to help Big Sam in this endeavour.
On the other hand, while Liverpool have one of the most exciting squads in the game, injuries to some of their key central defenders might see them in the market for a replacement for long-term absentees Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
Other teams at opposing ends of the table might also be looking to make additions to their squads to make a push for a European berth or secure their top-flight status for the next season.
As a result, January might see Premier League clubs become fairly active in the transfer market, as there seems to be a lot to play for, given how the season has panned out thus far.
#4 Home support could be Liverpool’s X-factor this season
Despite seeing their perfect home record this season come to an end, Liverpool remain unbeaten in the league at Anfield since April 2017.
While Liverpool's sensational home form is largely down to their incredible performances peppered with some strokes of luck, another factor that sets them apart this season is their ability to welcome fans into Anfield.
With COVID-19 having forced a lot of football to be played behind closed doors this year, the current situation sees Liverpool and near neighbours Everton as the only two sides in the English top flight who have the luxury of having fans in attendance for home games.
Even though there is an upper limit of 2,000 when it comes to fans in the stands, being cheered on by home fans while opponents play in empty stadiums could well play a huge part in Liverpool extending their unbeaten home run to the end of this season and beyond.
#5 The Premier League title race this season could be very close
While Liverpool’s title charge last season was nothing short of sensational, there was little for the neutral fan to enjoy in terms of a close title race, as the Reds virtually had the trophy sewn up in January.
Given the obvious gulf in class between Liverpool and the rest of the chasing pack last season, the Reds were widely expected to repeat their title heroics this season as none of their Premier League opponents seemed to have done much during the off-season to close the gap.
However, a 7-2 humbling at the hands of Aston Villa, combined with draws against Everton, Manchester City, Fulham and Brighton indicates that this season’s Liverpool might not be the runaway juggernaut that we saw last season.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are unbeaten in the league in the 11 games they have played following the heavy defeat at Villa Park. Liverpool are still three points clear at the top of the table, but they have shown signs that they can be got at.
However, Liverpool still remain favourites to retain their Premier League title, and simply expecting them to keep dropping points is by no means a viable title-winning strategy. That means that the onus still falls on one or more of the chasing pack to step up and mount a serious title challenge.
