Published 19:36 IST, December 18th 2020
Liverpool 2020 review: How Jurgen Klopp's men went from perennial doubters to achievers
Liverpool 2020 review: A look back at how Jurgen Klopp transformed Liverpool and ended the club's 30-year drought for a Premier League title in style.
On October 8, 2015, Liverpool unveiled Jurgen Klopp as their first-team manager in front of the British press. During that press conference, the German outlined something which has become oft-quoted nowadays. “We have to change from doubters to believers. Now.", he said, while urging the Reds faithful to invest in their team emotionally again. A shade over five years later, Klopp's "mentality monsters" won Liverpool their 19th top-division title and their first in the Premier League era.
Liverpool 2020 review: Securing the first top-flight title in 30 years in style
Following the heartbreak of finishing second, with 97 points, a solitary point behind eventual champions Man City, during the 2018-19 season, the Liverpool faithful began to wonder, 'When will it be our year?'. It was 29 long years since a league title was in the Red half of Merseyside. The sixth European Cup arrived later that summer, but the Premier League still hadn't.
However, it was the following year when Liverpool finally ended their long wait for a top division title, in a season like no other. The Reds won their first eight games, drew the ninth at Old Trafford, and marched on to win the next 18, equalling Man City’s all-time top-flight record of 18 consecutive league wins. In the process, Liverpool went 44 league games unbeaten – the second-longest unbeaten run in the history of English football.
Unfortunately, the Reds were unable to defend their Champions League crown and bowed out of the competition in the Round of 16 following a 2-4 aggregate defeat against Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid. The records in the Premier League, though, kept tumbling and Klopp's Liverpool were coasting their way towards the title until the pandemic threatened to derail their fairytale in March. Football had stopped, but it was soon confirmed by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin that Liverpool would win the title "one way or another". Liverpool were 25 points clear of second-placed Manchester City when the season was postponed and had won 27 of their 29 league games.
The Reds eventually wrapped up the Premier League title soon after football resumed in June, with seven games to spare, the quickest a team has ever been crowned champions in England’s top flight. June was also the latest month a Premier League team won the title.
With Alisson Becker in goal, Virgil van Van Dijk commanding at the back, Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold reinventing the full-back role, captain Jordan Henderson being the driving force in midfield and the attacking trio of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah terrorising defences across the land, Klopp assembled arguably the greatest team that Anfield had ever seen. He changed Liverpool from doubters to believers and made them achievers.
What comes next for Liverpool?
The summer transfer window this year saw Liverpool purchase the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota, with the latter already having made a significant impact. Jota scored nine goals in 15 appearances before suffering a knee injury last week. He is likely to remain sidelined until February.
On Wednesday, Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League table following a gritty 2-1 win over Jose Mourinho's Spurs at Anfield. Liverpool's formidable home league record now reads 66 games unbeaten. The Reds also moved three points clear at the top after 13 games played.
The first-choice centre-back pairing of Van Dijk and Joe Gomez are sidelined for the foreseeable future but Fabinho has dropped in and proved his versatility to Klopp at a time it's been most-required. Liverpool are also in the hat for European glory as they eased into the UCL Round of 16. They will face RB Leipzig over two legs in 2021.
Image Credits - Liverpoolfc.com
Updated 19:36 IST, December 18th 2020