Jurgen Klopp’s first full season as Liverpool boss has the Anfield faithful dreaming again. There’s nothing Reds fans want more than to lift the English league title for the first time in the Premier League era.
They’ve come close in recent years, notably under Brendan Rodgers, but for far too long have been Premier League also-rans.
Klopp has transformed the Anfield side into a force worth celebrating again, taking many sides by storm with an attacking brand of football that isn’t just thrilling ‘Pool supporters but the neutrals too.
They’re currently seven points behind Chelsea but with 17 games still to play between now and the end of the season, there’s plenty of time to haul in that points total and do the unthinkable.
If any team can, it’s this Liverpool side. Only slack defending at times has let them down. If they can cut out the mistakes and go on an extended winning run, this could be the year.
Here are THREE reasons why this is the season that Liverpool will win the league…
Attacking prowess
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Liverpool have scored a massive 49 goals in the Premier League this season, that’s more than any other team in the entire division.
Klopp’s free-flowing attacking football has delighted fans but what’s crucial is that it has an end product. Liverpool have only failed to score in the league three times this season and two of those were scoreless draws.
That attacking threat could set them apart from the teams around them in the coming months. If they can keep banging in the goals they’ll be difficult to stop, no matter how dodgy their defence is looking.
The key is keeping that consistency up. The Reds have scored in their last 9 Premier League matches, suggesting that the goals will continue to fly in.
A team effort like no other
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Five players at Liverpool have scored five league goals or more this season; Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana, James Milner, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho. That’s more players past the five-goal mark than any other team in the Premier League.
Chelsea have Costa, Spurs have Kane, City have Aguero but Liverpool don’t rely on just one man. They’re a team outfit, with goals all over the pitch.
That could be massively beneficial in the closing months of the season. If the likes of Costa get injured, lose form or have bust-ups with the coaching staff, then it could impact massively on their side’s results. For Liverpool, however, that danger is mitigated.
Klopp has inspired his entire team to perform. Twelve different players have scored goals for them this season in the league alone.
A kind run-in
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Of the 17 games remaining for Liverpool, 10 of them are at home. When you consider that six of those home games are against teams currently in the bottom half of the table, then there’s reason to be hopeful for the Reds.
Key too is the fact that they face the teams around them at Anfield for the most part. Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs all have to travel to Liverpool to face Klopp’s men and of the teams in the top six, only Manchester City host Liverpool.
This is a factor, make no mistake. Liverpool are unbeaten at home in the Premier League this season and have only dropped points twice. If they can keep their home form at a high standard, especially against the top six, they have every chance of picking up this trophy in May.
Manchester and Liverpool are separated by just a few miles of motorway, but the two sets of supporters certainly share little in terms of neighbourly love. Indeed, the North West duo are, arguably, English football’s most prestigious clubs, and although they have fallen on harder times in recent years, when they meet the whole world stops to look on – hence why it’s our Fixture in Focus this weekend!
Although the media narrative may be that the teams have had differing fortunes so far this season, a win for Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United will move them to within two points of Jurgen Klopp’s title-challenging Liverpool, which really would raise spirits at Old Trafford.
Alas, even though the Reds have wobbled of late, they will provide stern opposition for the Manchester giants. However, we’re sure Mourinho is confident and has a plan afoot to knock Liverpool off their 2016/17 perch, and if it looks a little bit like ours, he could be on to a winner.
So, what starting XI should ‘Mou’ field? Who will be his key man? How can Liverpool be nullified? We answer the above, and more, here…
Mourinho seems to have stumbled upon a system that really works now, with the key factor being a balanced midfield. Much of the early weeks of the campaign were spent trying to crowbar Paul Pogba in alongside Marouane Fellaini to accommodate both the Frenchman and Wayne Rooney, but that has changed during the winter months, with Michael Carrick now the anchorman behind Ander Herrera and the aforementioned world-record buy. The set-up works as Carrick provides a cool head at the base and covers his defensive team-mates, while Herrera’s energy and tenacity allowing Pogba to stroll forward, where his mix of athleticism and technique is most dangerous.
Ahead of them, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will surely have recovered from the illness that kept him out of the midweek EFL Cup win over Hull, so he’ll lead the line, while either side, the creativity and attacking intent of Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan may win out over more defensive options given that Man United have home advantage and Liverpool are in a poor patch of form. The elephant in the room is Wayne Rooney, who is now chasing the goal that will make him the Red Devils’ outright all-time leading scorer, but Mourinho has rarely let sentiment overrule his judgement.
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In defence, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are in line to pair up at centre-back with Eric Bailly away on AFCON duty and Marcos Rojo injured. Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian are very much Mourinho’s men in the full-back roles at the moment, and he’ll be wary of changing either given the relatively new double act he’ll have in the centre.
David de Gea remains David de Gea, so he’ll start barring a late injury.
Liverpool’s weakness: Lack of cutting edge
Liverpool’s last four games
Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City
Sunderland 2-2 Liverpool
Liverpool 0-0 Plymouth Argyle
Southampton 1-0 Liverpool
Given that Klopp’s Liverpool are the leading scorers in the Premier League at the moment, it may seem odd to suggest they have a lack of cutting edge. But their last four games in all competitions have yielded just three goals and they have failed to find the net in their last 180 minutes of action, despite 90 of those being at home to a League Two side in the shape of Plymouth Argyle.
In short, the Reds seem to have lost their mojo, and with Sadio Mane away representing Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, they are devoid of pace too. Philippe Coutinho is likely to come back into the XI after returning from injury, but neither he, Roberto Firmino nor Adam Lallana are blistering across the turf, while Daniel Sturridge, who may start, has lost a little pace given his series of injuries – so the Merseysiders will lack threat on the counter-attack.
As a result of this, Mourinho can instruct his side to push up the pitch and look to keep Liverpool penned in, and with Ibrahimovic the sort of striker that thrives on aerial service, a higher platform will make it easier to get crosses into him and allow Pogba to support the Swede closely – their link-up play has been key of late.
The key man: Paul Pogba
The big money was spent for a player able to shine on the big stage, so a home match against Liverpool looks teed up for a Pogba masterclass. The Frenchman has actually been, despite the media narrative, a success in English football, and his stats (above) show that. In terms of his physicality, the 23-year-old has demonstrated what an athlete he is by winning 59 aerial duels and completing 54 dribbles, with his style of carrying the ball very much dependent on force and speed. On top of that he’s played 37 key passes, three of which have been made into assists by team-mates, and netted four goals.
There’s no doubt that he’ll be the man to link the midfield and attack, and with the Merseysiders known to struggle when opposing units make the battle a physical one, he could get some joy – especially with Jordan Henderson only just returning from injury.
Liverpool’s big threat: Adam Lallana
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Adam Lallana’s progression this season has been staggering. The Englishman had largely been written off as – if not a flop – a big money signing that hadn’t fulfilled his potential since his move to Anfield from Southampton in 2014, but Klopp’s decision to drop him deeper has paid dividends. At the moment, he looks like Liverpool’s key attacking force, and the Reds may well move him into a more advanced role at Old Trafford, which will get him closer to goal where he’s been so dangerous – seven of his ten shots on target this season have gone in.
Mourinho will have to task both his full-backs – as Lallana will drift from flank to flank – with keeping a close eye on the playmaker, who, if given even an inch of space or time on the ball, can create opportunities that players such as Roberto Firmino will thrive from.
Swansea City striker Fernando Llorente has insisted he bears no grudge to his employers after a January transfer switch to league leaders Chelsea failed to materialise, The Evening Standard reports.
What’s the word?
It was one of the more surprising stories of the January transfer window, as Fernando Llorente was eyed by Antonio Conte as the ideal striker to move to Chelsea and provide back-up to Diego Costa, with summer signing Michy Batshuayi struggling to impress.
The Italian boss signed Llorente for Juventus back in 2013 and was keen to reunite with the Spanish forward in West London but relegation-battling Swansea City blocked a move from taking place, with the striker being far too crucial to their survival hopes.
Not securing a move to a side likely to win the Premier League and instead remaining with a team who face a struggle to even stay in the division, Llorente would have been forgiven for being annoyed at the situation but he’s made it clear that isn’t how he feels.
What was said?
Speaking to reporters after Swansea’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City and quoted by The Evening Standard, Llorente said:
“I already know Conte from Juventus. But it’s difficult in the winter when there’s a way out from a side you’re playing for and it’s normal that they didn’t go ahead with the deal.”
“I’m very focused on the team and am looking forward to helping save us from relegation.”
Can he save Swansea?
After years of stability with Athletic Bilbao followed by seasons of success with Juventus and Sevilla, Fernando Llorente faces a different sort of battle entirely with Swansea City this season as he aims to avoid relegation with his side.
The experienced striker, who turns 32 this month, may not boast the same sort of numbers he did for first club Athletic Bilbao during his stints with Juventus and Sevilla but the Spaniard has found his feet in the Premier League, netting eight goals in 21 appearances.
Llorente’s goals will be crucial to Swansea’s hopes of survival and the fact that the Swans boast a capable striker will really help their struggle, giving them a boost compared to the likes of Hull City, who lost top-scorer Robert Snodgrass to West Ham United in January.
Manchester United overcame a difficult FA Cup match on Sunday, fighting back from 1-0 down against Blackburn Rovers to emerge 2-1 victors and book their place in theÂquarter-finals.It means that United continue to power on in four competitions this season after an impressive win over Saint-Etienne in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday and a EFL Cup final to look forward to next weekend.Zlatan Ibrahimovic was again the hero, scoring his 24th goal of the season off the bench to bail out Jose Mourinho’s side yet again. That came after a Danny Graham opener for Rovers and a Marcus Rashford equaliser.The man who set up Ibrahimovic was Paul Pogba, a partnership that has become a familiar sight for United fans this season, as this stat from Opta shows.
Manchester United have invested a lot of money in both players but it seems that ambition is being rewarded with some key performances and more importantly a team ethic that is paying dividends.
Mourinho will be hoping this superstar will be as effective in the next round when United face a daunting trip to Stamford Bridge to play the in-form Chelsea.
Tottenham Hotspur romped home to a 4-0 win over Stoke City on Sunday, the third time that’s happened in as many matches against the Potters.Harry Kane was the star of the show, notching up his third hat-trick in nine matches in a first half destruction of Mark Hughes’ men.While Kane stole the headlines, Dele Alli was also on top form, netting his 14th goal for Spurs this season. As this stat from Squawka shows, those 14 goals are just part of an impressive haul for someone still at the age of just 20.
The fifty goal landmark so early in his career is a testament to his progress and consistency over the few years he’s been a professional.
Sunday’s goal will have been a particular highlight for the attacking midfielder after his dismal sending off midweek in the UEFA Europa League.
We’re sure it won’t take very long to score his next 50 career goals…
The fall-out from Sunday’s big game between Celtic and Rangers rolls on, it always does after these games, and the latest talking point comes from striker Leigh Griffiths.
Speaking exclusively to The Evening Times, the Celtic star has fired a shot at Rangers and their fans for over-celebrating their point at Celtic Park on Sunday.
Clint Hill equalised late in the game after a Stuart Armstrong strike, prompting scenes of celebration in the away end.
That’s amused the 26 year old striker though, who says supporters celebrated the goal as if they’d won the league.
As quoted by The Evening Times, Griffiths said:
Rangers fans will all get a bit excited now, thinking that they can come and do exactly the same to us in the semi-final as they did last season. You saw the Rangers fans after the game cheering as though they had won the league. They would have snapped anyone’s hand for a point before they came here.
However that jibe has not bothered Gers supporters one bit, who feel wholly justified what was a well earned point after three derby defeats in a row. Rangers fans have had a pretty tough season and heading to Celtic Park with a caretaker manager to get a point must be seen as a pretty fantastic result.
They’ve taken to Twitter to respond and send some jibes of their own back to the Celtic star…
With Liverpool having midweeks off after failing to qualify for European competition, anyone could forgive them for feeling a little sorry for themselves as they see big games take place across the continent.
Alas, we suspect they are using this time to keep an eye on talent taking part in such clashes, with a return to continental football likely on the cards, which will surely lead them to snap up a few players in the summer transfer market. One star they have been aligned with is Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette, so the Reds will surely have been keeping an eye on their 4-2 victory over Roma, in which the striker was truly excellent.
One goal (which was a cracker, by the way,) and an assist illustrate his ruthlessness, while a pass completion rate of 100% hints that he could slot into a Liverpool team that rely on neat balls being played in the final third.
Lacazette won’t come cheap, but maybe he’d be the ideal option for Liverpool.
Manchester United look set for a big summer transfer window, as Jose Mourinho looks to put the finishing touches on a squad that has consistently improved at a steady rate throughout the course of his debut season at Old Trafford.
But could the club’s immediate future lay in its not so distant past? The Red Devils coughed up a world-record fee to bring Paul Pogba back to the club last summer and considering the sheer number of talented players who’ve passed through the doors at Carrington, it’s likely stars of similar ability have also fallen through the net in recent years.
With that in mind, we asked United fans earlier this week to vote for which former stars they’d like Mourinho to re-sign in the coming window. The results of our exclusive poll are now in, so here’s a rundown of the top three.
3. Memphis Depay
The Memphis Depay who showed world-class potential as he fired PSV to the Eredivisie title simply didn’t turn up at Old Trafford – and Jose Mourinho’s arrival was unsurprisingly the nail in the coffin for the workshy winger. But the Netherlands international has been nothing short of phenomenal since moving to Lyon in January, bagging two assists and five goals in just nine Ligue 1 appearances – including the above effort from the halfway line that’s sure to get a nomination for this year’s Puskas Award. Third in our poll, it seems a significant chunk of Red Devils fans think a failure to realise his full ability with United was as much down to the club as the 23-year-old.
2. Javier Hernandez
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Well-liked during his time at Old Trafford, it’s no surprise to see Manchester United’s former super-sub Javier Hernandez ranking second in our poll. Despite predominantly featuring from the bench, he reached double figures in three consecutive Premier League campaigns before a loan stint at Real Madrid and a permanent move to Bayer Leverkusen; which has given the Mexico international the platform to prove the kind of hauls he’s capable of when given a place in the starting XI. Indeed, since moving to the BayArena in summer 2015, Hernandez has netted 38 times in 71 appearances across all competitions – and earned himself a spot in last term’s Bundesliga Team of the Season.
1. Angel Di Maria
Always the one that got away, United fans still clearly respect Angel Di Maria’s ability even if he did leave the club on rather frosty terms, struggling to settle in Manchester and departing just twelve months after his club-record arrival. Nonetheless, the Argentine was mesmerising during his first half-season at Old Trafford and has continued to excel since signing for PSG in summer 2015, notching up ten goals in Ligue 1 last term and really producing the goods in the Champions League this year with four goals in seven outings – including a brace in a 4-0 battering of Barcelona last month (above). Signed by Jose Mourinho in 2010 during his first transfer window as Real Madrid boss, the Portuguese would surely love to work with the attacking midfielder once again.
Former Leeds United midfielder David Prutton believes that the club will do enough this weekend to keep their Premier League promotion hopes alive.
Garry Monk’s side are placed in fifth in the Championship table, five points above closest playoff challengers Fulham with six games left to play.
The former Swansea City boss has done a remarkable job after a shaky start to the campaign, but they head into this weekend’s match against Preston on the back of two defeats in a row.
The Whites were beaten 1-0 by Reading at the start of the month, and that was followed up with a 2-0 loss to Brentford on the road.
Saturday’s fixture at Elland Road is extra special due to former Whites boss Simon Grayson being in the opposing dugout.
The 47-year-old, who began his playing career at Leeds before leaving in 1992, spent four years in charge of the West Yorkshire outfit before joining Huddersfield Town in 2012.
Prutton, who spent three years of his playing days at Leeds, believes that there will not be a winner on the day, but a point will be enough for Monk’s side.
He told Sky Sports:
“This one is nicely poised. Simon Grayson has done a superb job at Preston and has a great affinity with Leeds, but will feel he has something to prove at his former club.
“Leeds have had a couple of poor results since the international break, but they’ve come too far this season to let it go from here and I think they’ll get the draw here and go on to make the playoffs.”
This weekend sees Chelsea travel to Manchester United in Football FanCast’s Fixture in Focus, and much emphasis will be placed on the men in the dugout after the bad blood that swelled between them during the reverse fixture, a 4-0 win for the west Londoners, earlier this season.
Needless to say, Jose Mourinho has history with the Blues; winning three Premier League titles in two spells before leaving in rather unceremonious circumstances in December 2015, as the reigning champions unexpectedly found themselves lingering just above the relegation zone.
But Mourinho’s tenures were always plagued by controversy, media antics and a questionable brand of football. In comparison, Conte’s kept his head down on the most part, letting Chelsea’s imperious results in their new 3-4-3 set-up do the talking as they charge towards another Premier League title.
So ahead of this weekend’s almighty clash, we have a curious question for Chelsea fans; which manager do they prefer life under? Club icon Mourinho or the man currently donning the dugout? Let us know by voting below…