With four games played in the Premier League this season, there is a sense of relief among Liverpool fans that the team have picked up 10 points from a possible 12.
It could have been so different. The Reds survived something of an onslaught in their opening game against Chelsea, with the Blues lacking the killer instinct that would have finished Jurgen Klopp’s side off. Then, a red card for Alexis Mac Allister against Burnley threatened to derail Liverpool’s first home fixture of the season, but they managed to emerge with three points.
Then, a goal and a man down to Newcastle United, Darwin Nunez popped up with a miraculous brace to seal three points at St. James’ Park, before Liverpool’s fans finally had a comfortable 90 minutes in the 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield.
It’s been a topsy-turvy start, but the fact that Liverpool have emerged relatively unscathed is a sign that perhaps a challenge for the title could be on the cards. There will be plenty of big tests to come, not least when they visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the end of the month, with the result difficult to call going by the Spurs Liverpool betting odds.
Of course, Liverpool’s title credentials rest largely on how effective their summer midfield rebuild has been. Whilst there were a couple of disappointments for the club to come to terms with, namely the decisions of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to join Chelsea over Liverpool, Klopp should still be relatively pleased with the options at his disposal.
Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, who were both brought in early on in the summer transfer window, have proven to be excellent additions so far. Mac Allister has brought real control to the Reds’ midfield, while Szoboszlai is an explosive, dynamic presence, capable of driving the team forward.
30-year-old Wataru Endo has also joined the fold, bringing some much-needed stability to the defensive midfield position. Arriving from Stuttgart, the Japan captain will be on hand to cover the hole left by Fabinho’s departure to the Saudi Pro League.
The final part of Klopp’s summer midfield haul was Ryan Gravenberch, who joined on deadline day from Bayern Munich. It was widely known that Klopp was a keen admirer of the Dutchman, who can ply his trade in any number of midfield positions, and while his spell at Bayern could hardly be called a success, there is enough evidence from Gravenberch’s time at Ajax to know he is a quality player.
If Liverpool can keep these four additions fit, then there’s no reason why they can’t challenge for the title. While there may be some defensive frailties open to exploitation against the top teams in the league, Liverpool’s firepower in midfield and attack will make them difficult to stop.
Klopp has referred to this team as ‘Liverpool Reloaded’, and it will be interesting to see just how quickly he can get this new-look team firing on all cylinders in what promises to be a hugely competitive campaign.
