Premier League: What to Expect from the Top Six in 2018/19

Liverpool

Naby Keita has joined Liverpool this summer

Liverpool reached the Champions League final last season and this summer Jurgen Klopp has invested very heavily in his squad to ensure that they can go one step further this season.

For the German manager, this proves to be a defining season in his career. Liverpool have been arguably England’s most dynamic side with him at the helm, but they have got nothing to show for it yet.

A very leak defence and goalkeeping unit held Liverpool back last summer, as their attack, in contrast, fired on all cylinders last time around.

Around Roberto Firmino, Klopp has evolved a system that allows him to sustain an extremely high pressing style for the vast majority of the 90 minutes. And now with the added steel in Fabinho and the dynamism and ball carrying ability of Naby Keita, the Liverpool side looks utterly fearsome on paper.

With Virgil Van Dijk anchoring the heart of the Reds' defence, and one of last season’s best goalkeepers in Alisson Becker guarding his goalposts, Klopp has absolutely no excuses not to deliver silverware this season.

Can Salah repeat the heroics that won him the Golden Boot last season?

Manchester City looked near invincible last season, and it was Liverpool who broke that cloud. This season, the latter must go even higher. It was the dropped points against the lower clubs last season, and the lack of that ‘something extra’, which condemned winnable games to unacceptable draws.

Oddly enough, a lot of Liverpool’s dropped points came when they were had near-exclusive possession of the ball. They aren’t as threatening when they have all the possession as against when they get the ball against the run of play.

Seeing their attack, there will be a considerable number of teams who will surely park the bus against them. If Klopp is able to teach his side exactly how to break down a bus, then this season’s title race may well the closest we’ll have seen in quite some time.