Liverpool’s surprise spending spree this summer has hit the headlines in recent weeks as they are now being tipped to be the prime contenders to dethrone Manchester City from English throne. Jurgen Klopp, the Anfield chief, has enjoyed a perfect start with three successive wins without conceding a single goal yet and the Reds are currently leading the league standings on goal difference over Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Watford. They are set to visit King Power Stadium this weekend to lock horns with Leicester City in a tricky away encounter but seem to be upbeat about continuing the streak before next month’s international break.
The resurgence saw the Merseysiders clinching a place in the Champions League final but a heartbreak against Real Madrid saw the gaffer losing his third successive final with Liverpool since joining them in the autumn of 2015. However, there are ample reasons to be optimistic so far and a few of them should be discussed that are significantly different when compared to the previous term.
Squad Depth and Competiton for First-team Football
Klopp was forced to bring on the likes of Dominic Solanke and Danny Ings last season as potential game changers who, despite best of their efforts, made a little impact from the bench in adverse situations. But the inclusion of Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri, Naby Keita and Alisson Becker has drastically improved the quality as well as depth which, in turn, has introduced a competition in every slot with around 20 players in the squad who deserve to make it to the starting XI.
Even an injury-riddled Daniel Sturridge has returned to manager’s plans in the aftermath of a promising pre-season and the likes of Nathaniel Clyne and Fabinho are finding it hard to make it to the matchday squad despite their on-field excellence. The injury absence Dejan Lovren and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, two crucial first-team members last seasons, is not at all making an impact on the results which indeed signifies the success of forming a formidable force with plenty of options to select from.
Grinding Out Results
A 2-0, even a 3-0 lead at times looked vulnerable last season, but the high-profile signing of Virgil van Dijk (a world-record fee for a defender) has changed the equation completely and the Reds are now one of the most defensively organized Premier League outfits with the most number of clean sheets since his winter arrival. Also, the addition of Alisson between the sticks replacing erroneous Loris Karius has strengthened them furthermore at the back and Liverpool have successfully clinched three points against both Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion defending a narrow lead in difficult circumstances. These have been the occasions where Klopp’s men used to fumble most of the time, however, a change of trend might finally lead them to the title glory after missing it out so narrowly due to lack of nerves.
Successful Retention of Key Resources
The Reds have been impacted by the egress of their optimal individuals over the years as the likes of Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and most recently Philippe Coutinho – all have departed for greater glory while a few of them used Liverpool as a stepping stone of their career before completing their ‘dream’ switch to La Liga. Klopp could not resist Coutinho who was desperate to join Barcelona and left in the winter, however, the summer window has seen the Merseysiders retaining their key resources like Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane successfully. The newest inclusions have been attached to the renowned stars who enjoyed a blistering 2017-18 season and this amalgamation will help Jurgen’s juggernaut grabbing result from the very beginning, unlike previous campaigns.