Liverpool finally ended a 30-year wait to lift the Premier League title this season.
Jürgen Klopp’s side were already champions of Europe and of the world, but they were not champions of England. That was an honour that had not been bestowed upon them since 1990, and something they had not experienced once during the Premier League years.
This season was different. Led by the likeable German off the field and the focused Jordan Henderson on it, the Reds brushed aside all that came in front of them. Manchester City, reigning champions and nearest challengers, simply could not find a way to keep up with the unstoppable Reds. How did they become such a force to be reckoned with though? How, after 30-years in the wilderness, did Liverpool finally put their Premier League hoodoo to bed?
How Liverpool Won Their First Premier League Title
The Players
The obvious answer is their players; even when they lifted the Champions League last season, there was a feeling that this could be their year. The running joke is that every year is Liverpool’s year, but the consummate ease with which they brushed aside Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid only served to underline their huge potential. The Guardian reported that Mo Salah grabbed one goal and was the star of the show, but Liverpool do not rely on one player or a partnership to win matches. They didn’t have the most prolific pairing up front, but their quality across the midfield and front line helped drive them forward. Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino both helped Salah with goals, but none of the trio featured in the top three leading scorers in the division. That depth in quality was further highlighted by the number of injuries they faced during the campaign.
Goalkeeper Alisson missed six weeks in autumn, but Adrian deputised perfectly. The powerful figure of Fabinho would have been a big miss for some, but Naby Keita and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain both stepped up magnificently. Indeed, both Keita and Chamberlain, as well as Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and veteran James Milner all missed a month or more, but without significant impact on Liverpool’s form.
Ways to Win
They also found a method by which to win ugly, the mark of all great champions. The highlights reel might not feature the matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Norwich City, West Ham United and Bournemouth, but they all counted towards that points tally. At times during those games, won by a single goal, the Reds looked on the ropes and struggled, but in each game, they found a way to win. That attitude and application was in sharp contrast to Pep Guardiola’s City, who misfired on several occasions and never really mounted a serious title challenge.
A glance back to the 2018/19 season shows that Liverpool were more than ready for their success. They finished on 97 points, enough to win the title in all but one of the 30-years they were without the top trophy. Plus, with challengers City losing their captain, Vincent Kompany, Guardiola had the unenviable task of beginning to build a new legacy and a new era of players, whilst Liverpool’s master plan was finally reaching fruition. Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are all rebuilding whilst Spurs have peaked and now appear to be falling away. None of the challengers are the complete side and that left the way clear for Liverpool to finally seize the moment.
Under the watchful eye of Klopp, it came to pass. Few would rule out the same outcome next season, with Bwin already installing them as close second-favourites to win the title, as his side continues to mature and develop. Even for those clubs who feel they are making giant leaps forward, such as Manchester United, it is a frightening prospect.
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