. According to Opta’s supercomputer, Liverpool have a 90 per cent probability of lifting the Premier League trophy this season.
If they do, Slot will achieve something neither Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp nor Arsene Wenger managed – winning the league in their debut campaign.
However, Liverpool’s title charge last season serves as a cautionary tale. By early February, they led Manchester City and Arsenal by five points only to fade away and finish third – nine points behind City and seven adrift of Arsenal. Injuries played a major role in that downfall and a similar fate could derail their current momentum.
A glimpse at Liverpool’s average positions in their February 10 win over Burnley last season highlights the contrast. Of those who started that match, only Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Luis Díaz remain among the most frequent starters this season.
Meanwhile, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah – three pillars of the squad – were sidelined for crucial stretches. Alexander-Arnold, subbed off at half-time in that Burnley game, missed the next seven league matches – the same period Alisson was out. Salah missed eight consecutive league starts between mid-January and mid-March. That collapse was no coincidence.
This season, Liverpool have had the second-fewest injury absences of more than one game in the Premier League, according to Premier Injuries. But with key fixtures looming, one major setback could change everything.
Much has been made of Liverpool’s supposedly more …
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