Our columnist, Alex, did some checking of how Liverpool's current season compares statistically with previous Premiership seasons and previous Liverpool top flight seasons.
LIVERPOOL PREMIERSHIP AWAY POINTS
08/09 43 points
01/02 39 points
07/08 34 points (GD +9)
05/06 34 points (GD +8)
96/97 32 points
So a new Premiership Liverpool Football club record and most importantly Liverpool's top flight record overall! The previous top-flight record was 42 points in the 1981/82 season when 21 away games were played compared to 19 now. This is only the fourth time Liverpool have reached 40 away points.
LIVERPOOL TOP FLIGHT AWAY RECORDS
08/09 P19 W13 D4 L2 F36 A14 PTS 43
81/82 P21 W12 D6 L3 F41 A18 PTS 42
87/88 P20 W11 D7 L2 F38 A15 PTS 40
46/47 P21 W12 D4 L5 F42 A28 PTS 28*
*in the old two points for a win system, converted it makes 40 points.
Another club record! Liverpool have never won as many away games in a top flight season to go with most away points.
Moving on from our away records, the fact is that the Premiership has changed, and more and more points are being picked up by the top sides.
LIVERPOOL MOST PREMIERSHIP POINTS
08/09 86 points
05/06 82 points
01/02 80 points
07/08 76 points
Club Premiership record! Rafael Benitez has three of the top four entries. Liverpool reached 86 points which is a very good total, but the last time that would have been enough to be top or joint top was 02/03.
PREMIERSHIP CHAMPIONS
08/09 90 points
04/05 95 points
99/00 91 points
05/06 91 points
03/04 90 points
06/07 89 points
07/08 87 points
01/02 87 points
02/03 83 points
The bar has been raised, 25 wins haven't been enough to win the Premiership since 02/03.
LIVERPOOL MOST PREMIERSHIP WINS
08/09 25 wins
05/06 25 wins
01/02 24 wins
07/08 21 wins
94/95 21 wins in 42 games compared to 38 in the other seasons.
Liverpool equalled their record of Premiership wins! Most wins in a Liverpool top flight season is 30 back in 78/79 - 42 games, 19 home wins, 11 away and 68 points (two points for a win).
LIVERPOOL PREMIERSHIP GOALS SCORED
08/09 77 goals
00/01 71 goals
95/96 70 goals
97/98 68 goals
98/99 68 goals
A new Premiership club record! However 77 goals ranks 20th in Liverpool's top flight history. Most goals Liverpool scored in the top flight is 92. 77 goals is the most since 90/91 when Liverpool last made a serious title challenge - and scored 77 goals.
Let's now look at the defensive part of the side.
LIVERPOOL PREMIERSHIP CLEAN SHEETS
05/06 22
08/09 20
06/07 20
01/02 18
07/08 18
94/95 17 (42 games compared to 38 in the rest)
LIVERPOOL TOP FLIGHT GOALS CONCEDED
78/79 16 goals (42 games)
87/88 24 goals (40 games)
68/69 24 goals (42 games)
70/71 24 goals (42 games)
05/06 25 goals (38 games)
08/09 27 goals (38 games)
06/07 27 goals (38 games)
Only 23 sides have conceded fewer goals in a top flight season, that may not sound great, but it does put our 08/09 season in the top two percent.
TOP FLIGHT GOAL DIFFERENCE
21 teams have ended a top flight season with better goal difference, however only Arsenal with +51 have finished second with better goal difference. It is the = 6th best goal difference in the Premiership.
LIVERPOOL PREMIERSHIP GOAL DIFFERENCE
08/09 +50
07/08 +39
01/02 +37
95/96 +36
00/01 +32
05/06 +32
06/07 +30
Scored six more goals than any previous Premiership season and an extra +11 goal difference.
LIVERPOOL LEAST PREMIERSHIP DEFEATS
08/09 2 defeats
07/08 4 defeats
05/06 6 defeats
01/02 6 defeats
95/96 7 defeats
A new Premiership club record!
LIVERPOOL LEAST TOP FLIGHT DEFEATS
03/04 Arsenal : 0 defeats in 38 games
88/89 Preston NE : 0 defeats in 22 games
90/91 Arsenal : 1 defeat in 38 games
04/05 Chelsea : 1 defeat in 38 games
68/69 Leeds Utd : 2 defeats in 42 games
87/88 LIVERPOOL : 2 defeats in 40 games
08/09 LIVERPOOL 2 defeats in 38 games
Only the SEVENTH time a side has lost two or less games in a top flight season.
Statistically a great season, but perhaps more great for Liverpool than great overall. The record points total in the Premiership is 95, most wins is 29, most Premiership goals scored is 97, most clean sheets is 25 etc... Self improvement is great, but if Liverpool want titles then they need to improve to such an extent they beat all challengers.
Copyright - Alex for LFChistory.net