Currently Liverpool fans are in a frenzy. The Premier League only has a few weeks left to run, and the Reds are riding high at the top of the table. It has been a few years since the side claimed their first league title in three decades – but that’s in the past.
Going toe to toe with at least two other sides for the 2023/24 trophy, a win in 2024 would be spectacularly fitting, given that it will be Jürgen Klopp’s last season in charge. However, despite an impressive start to the season, the Reds still have their work cut out.
Can Liverpool win the Premier League in 2024? It’s entirely possible – but looking carefully at the remaining games and the rivals running alongside them at the top, it’s not going to be easy.
Let’s look at what’s in store for Reds fans and if Liverpool are still worth backing for their second Premier League title.
The season so far
At the time of writing, Liverpool are clinging onto the top of the Premier League by a marginal amount, and that’s not because of poor performance – far from it. Out of the 26 matches they’ve played so far; they’ve won 18 and only lost two against Spurs and Arsenal.
As a team, Liverpool have rarely looked better together on the pitch. Mohamed Salah is still chasing the top scorer title with 15 goals right now, just behind Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. However, Ollie Watkins for Aston Villa and Dominic Solanke for Bournemouth aren’t far behind.
And don’t forget about Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota, who have scored nine goals each this season so far. It’s apparent the Reds aren’t short on successful scorers, even if some are injured.
They also have just recently won the EFL Cup, defeating Chelsea 1-0 in a tense final. So, why is the Premier League title in such contention despite Liverpool having such an amazing year so far?
It’s not that the Reds have performed poorly – it lies in the fact that Man City and Arsenal are also having very successful seasons. City have won 18 and lost five, while Arsenal have won 18 and lost four. Therefore, the Reds have the edge, but when it comes to points conversions, there are only one or two matches in it.
When Klopp announced his retirement earlier this season, it came as a hammer blow for Reds fans, as he has helped the club reach some of its all-time highs with his inimitable style. Klopp was, of course, in charge during the incredible 2019/20 season when Liverpool broke their 30-year drought of league wins.
How fitting would it be for Liverpool to raise the trophy one last time while Klopp is in charge? It’s a dream – but it’s very much within reach.
Can Liverpool hold onto the top spot?
The odds of Liverpool winning the Premier League will likely change in the coming weeks, but time is running out. Markets are closing between City, Arsenal and the Reds, with Villa potentially within reach – though all eyes are on the top three currently.
Liverpool still have a few hurdles to overcome and a few threats to face before the season ends. It will likely be a three-horse race at the top as there are still some big matches and potential upsets left on the calendar.
Also, there’s no telling what might happen to the squad before the season ends. Fans are keeping their fingers crossed for a side that’s fit and healthy to the finish – but, as they always say, expect the unexpected.
Let’s look at a few of the more significant hurdles that the Reds need to jump if they stand a chance of winning their second Premier League title.
There are big games yet to come
The good news for Liverpool is that they won’t have to face Arsenal again for the rest of the season. While Arsenal are trailing slightly behind the Reds right now, Liverpool last played them away and lost – so, fans can breathe a sigh of relief as far as going up against the Gunners is concerned.
However, Man City are a different problem. City are due to meet Liverpool at Anfield on 10th March, which will be a definitive match. Both sides are teetering at the top of the league, and it’s probably safe to say that whoever wins this match will get the edge on the Premier League title.
Also, as mentioned, both Liverpool and City are battling it out for the top scorer.
Other matches for Liverpool include an away game at Nottingham Forest, a derby at Everton and a home match with Crystal Palace. It’s unlikely that these matches will pose the Anfield crew much upset, but stranger things have happened.
The Reds need to worry about how sides such as Brighton, Man United, Spurs and Villa will perform before the end of the season. They’re facing each of these teams before the Premier League’s over for 2024, and while none of them are in significant contention for the title this season, they’re still holding their own towards the top of the roster.
Just because Liverpool are at the top doesn’t mean they won’t find these sides threatening. It might not have been an excellent season for United so far, for example, but they’ll be fighting hard to claim back what glory they can.
So, Klopp’s men can’t rest on their laurels or concentrate on the Man City clash. If anything, they must be on their ‘A’ game, home and away, for the rest of the season. A cup win is fantastic news – but the Premier League title this season would be spectacular.
Liverpool’s injury crisis and player availability
Naturally, Liverpool are only as good as their players, and, thankfully for the fans, this side has been one of the most cohesive and talented they’ve seen in years.
However, anything can happen in the world of football, and as the Carabao Cup final proved recently, even the most talented performers can fall hard.
Despite the Reds claiming a 1-0 victory by the end of the match, midfield ace Ryan Gravenberch suffered what’s believed to be a ligament injury at around 27 minutes in. He was stretchered off during the Chelsea clash, and at the time of writing, Klopp is confident that it’s not a severe injury – given that the X-rays came back positive.
However, Gravenberch is only the latest in a long line of injured players Klopp has had to juggle recently. At the time of writing, Liverpool are missing at least 11 stars from their main line-up – including star strikers Mohamed Salah and Darwin Núñez.
During the cup final, Wataru Endō also left the match on crutches – meaning that Klopp could be looking at a dozen players down before the next big matches arise.
It’s this crisis that is making Liverpool’s potential win even more uncertain. City and Arsenal could easily take advantage of the situation, but could the Reds play their way to a photo finish without some of their biggest names?
There’s an argument that Liverpool doesn’t necessarily need their most prominent players to claim the title. If anything, we must consider the cohesion between the remaining team and Klopp’s adaptive managerial style.
That said, Liverpool fans would certainly be forgiven for feeling apprehensive. The Reds could do with keeping the rest of their squad fit and healthy through the next few games. Could the playing style or a complete change of tactics affect this? We’ll have to wait and see.
We can see that Liverpool still won against Chelsea in the cup final despite missing 10, and then 11 players. That’s an impressive feat, and one that Reds fans will likely be referring to as the season ends.
What if it comes down to goal difference?
Here’s everyone’s favourite decider – goal difference. No one likes a tiebreak, and with this year’s Premier League remaining so tight, there’s every chance that City, Liverpool and Arsenal – or any combination thereof – might have to count their goals to decide who takes away the trophy.
There’s an average of around three goals per game in the Premier League, at least based on the past few seasons. Therefore, everything could change in a matter of matches for the Reds.
It’s here where Liverpool needs to be wary of Arsenal. The Reds aren’t facing the Gunners again this season; despite this they’re ahead on goals by just one. This means that if Arsenal manages to break ahead and tie with Klopp’s side by season’s end, there’s a chance that the Gunners will clinch it on goals scored.
However, Liverpool aren’t strangers to scoring a few goals in any given match. It’s simply down to how their next rivals are going to perform. The teams they’re facing next know that Liverpool are in a crunch period, meaning that they’re likely to put up a stiff defence. However, 11 men out or not, the Reds are fierce competitors.
Let’s not count out Man City on goal difference. Unfortunately for Liverpool, City are five goals behind – which seems like a reasonable gap, but not in the long run.
For example, if Liverpool fail to score in their next match and City pull back three goals, the gap has already tightened. If Liverpool need to do anything in these final matches of the 2023/24 season, it’s score, score, and score again – regardless of whether they’re behind or comfortably in front.
Thankfully, goal difference shouldn’t be a burden for the Villa, Spurs, United and Brighton matches. Even if Villa has a spectacular finish to the season and pull level with Liverpool, they’re still 24 goals behind on difference.
However, it doesn’t mean that Liverpool should rest easy. Fans are on tenterhooks as we enter March, and for good reason.
The Premier League is in their grasp
It’s often difficult to support a side and to see things draw so close towards the end of a season. However, Liverpool are enduring and continuing to turn out great performances despite their many injuries from the past few months. If they can win a cup final against Chelsea with 11 men down (including their best scorers), they are clearly a capable team.
Then again, if you are a Reds fan, you might be biting your nails right now – and we honestly don’t blame you. Keep your eyes peeled for the latest markets and odds movements, and cheer Liverpool on to the finish. You never know what could happen in the next few weeks.
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