Every year, Manchester City are the favorites for the Premier League title, until proven otherwise.
Nor mally Liverpool have been the biggest challengers in recent years, the last team to dethrone the Citizens in 2019/20 when they scored an impressive 99 points.
Intere stingly, Liverpool were so badly hit by injuries the following season that their status as a top-four team was in danger.
However, in the final weeks of the season, amidst enormous external (but crucially not internal) pressure on Jurgen Klopp, the Reds turned the tables to qualify for the Champions League.
Last season, Liverpool faced an even bigger threat to their Champions League status. At mid-season, the Reds were in 11th place in the Premier League.Forget the first four.
They fought to end up somewhere in Europe. And in the European competition itself, they were embarrassed by frequent opponents Real Madrid in the round of 16, having pushed the Whites to the limit in the final the previous season.
In the space of a few months, Liverpool have gone from being arguably the best team in the world within touching distance of the Premier League and Champions League titles to one of the most disappointing teams in the world, sitting squarely in the bottom half of their rankings. own league.
The gleeful mockery of Klopp showed no signs of abating as fans across the continent enjoyed the struggles of one of the Premier League’s most prestigious and well-supported teams.
Although Liverpool failed to finish in the top four as Saudi-backed Newcastle improved considerably, they came agonizingly close in fifth place, comfortably securing a place in the Europa League. Towards the end of the season, Liverpool showed signs of returning to their momentum. This season, it’s back.
After a productive transfer window, which also included the signings of Bundes liga sensation Dominik Szoboszlai and Premier League World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, the Reds’ sorely lacking midfield was upgraded.
And Liverpool are flying high and appear to be Manchester City’s strongest challenger at the top of the table once again.
They are currently second, just two points behind City, after impressing in the 3-1 win over West Ham. Klopp has obviously been here before.
Back in Dortmund, he transformed one of Europe’s most disappointing teams into a powerhouse that reached the Champions League final and twice dethroned the mighty Bayern Munich at home.
But while he was on his way out he at one point embroiled them in a relegation battle, leaving the club on a strangely bad note.
When he moved to Liverpool there were doubts about him. Aside from the usual Premier League skepticism and prejudice, fans were concerned that Dortmund had only finished seventh in their final season.
BVB had never finished this far since Klopp’s arrival and have never been this far since.
Klopp proved the doubters wrong in the broadest way possible, transforming Liverpool from a mediocre team at risk of falling out of favor into one of Europe’s greatest powers.
He won the Premier League, conquered the Champions League and was constantly in the conversation for both titles year after year.
What people don’t understand about Klopp is that despite all the stupidity, lack of suits and carelessness, Klopp is just as serious about having a legend in the coaching chair as Carlo Ancelotti , Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola.
His transformation of Dortmund and Liverpool from difficult times to elite powers in the Champions League final was no coincidence. Every time he goes through a tough time and people write him off, Klopp proves them wrong.
He did it again and again. Because unlike the masses, Klopp is not fickle. He does not bend to the whims of football and does not let himself be discouraged by the slump.
He tinkers, finds solutions, studies the transfer market, motivates his players, supports his club and finally obtains results.
This is why, despite all the negative things said about Klopp in the media – published or on social media – Liverpool do not waver in their support. The players support him 100 percent.
Because they know Klopp has been in worse situations, overcome tougher challenges and is the last one laughing every time.
