A look at Liverpool in the Premier League era

The confetti feels like it's long settled at this point. Liverpool had established a lead over Manchester City that was big enough to make their first Premier League title almost certain way before it was mathematically confirmed. There is no overstating how big an achievement this is by Jurgen Klopp and his squad of stars. Maybe when Klopp takes a year off, as he plans to do when his current contract expires in 2024, the full impact will register. Liverpool had won league titles before - 18, to be precise - but none of them had arrived in the Premier League era, a fact that no Red needed to be reminded of. There is a temptation to use the adjective 'long-suffering' but that would seem a touch spoiled considering the glut of trophies that we 'made do' with. The three FA Cups; the four League Cups; the two Champions League trophies; the lone UEFA Cup; and the recent Club World Cup. That's without adding the many European Super Cups and Charity Shields; without detailing the wild-ride seasons that ended without silverware.
Liverpool had certainly come close to titles before Klopp rocked into Merseyside. The season after their previous triumph, the 90-91 campaign, they finished second, suggesting that Liverpool would be in the title picture for years to come. This wasn't the case. Another top-two finish would evade them for a decade, next arriving in 01-02. That was a strange season, starting and finishing with Gerard Houllier on the sideline but overseen for the most part by Phil Thompson in Houllier's absence. The legendary Reds defender took charge of the first team while Houllier took a five-month rest period to recover from the effects of a heart condition. It was a season in which Robbie Fowler was sold to Leeds and Michael Owen continued banging in the goals, scoring 28 in all competitions.

The 2008-09 season, the next in which Liverpool finished in the top two, was more of a title challenge than the one in 2002. A midfield of Mascherano, Alonso, and Gerrard supported Torres up front but Rafa Benitez's team finished four points behind title winners Manchester United. They took small consolation from a 4-1 demolition of United at Old Trafford. Several more seasons would pass before the Suarez, Sturridge, and Sterling strike combination of the 2013-14 season challenged Manchester City for top spot. A defeat to a cynical Jose Mourinho-bossed Chelsea team late in the season was the start of a collapse that they could not recover from. Several relatively unremarkable seasons that culminated in European qualification came along before Klopp took charge and instilled the side with a winning mentality that fans hope will form a dynasty. One could argue a dynasty has started. Three European finals in five seasons bodes well for the future. Back-to-back finishes in the top two - each with 97+ points - is an even stronger marker that the good times are not going away anytime soon. 
Klopp’s team will be judged on whether they can retain the title, a marker for the truly dominant team eras in Premier League history. Only three other teams have managed to win successive titles in the Premier League era: United, City, and Chelsea. Liverpool face no shortage of competition in a division as competitive as ever, in terms of the financial resources of rivals. Not that the supposed quality of the competition hindered their waltz to the championship in the season just gone. WinComparator for a comprehensive look at what bookmakers are offering on next season’s title race, here you can find the best Premier League odds. Liverpool are bound to start the season as favourites. Can they fulfill their potential under Klopp?

Written by Alan Spencer