Whether it’s winning 3-2 thrillers at Newcastle United or grinding out a 1-0 win late on at Burnley, Liverpool have already shown this season they have several strings to their bow.
Teams might have thought they had figured Liverpool out after Arne Slot’s successful first season in charge, but the early signs are that the Reds’ adaptive nature could yield yet another Premier League crown this term.
Reds Refuse To Rest on Their Laurels
Having cruised to the Premier League title last season by a 10-point margin, Liverpool could be forgiven for perhaps allowing some complacency to creep in both on and off the field. However, that has simply not been the case, as the summer transfer window showed for Liverpool, who are 6/1 in the football odds to win the UEFA Champions League this season. The Reds, who are 6/5 in the odds on the Premier League title winner market, invested heavily over the summer with striker Alexander Isak just one of the big names to arrive at Anfield. The Swedish forward has already proven he’s a prolific goalscorer in the English top flight from his time at Newcastle United, and Liverpool fans will be hoping he can continue that form at Anfield over the coming years.
Slot enjoyed a dream start to life in English football last season and silenced any doubters who suggested he couldn’t fill the void left by Jürgen Klopp following the German’s departure. Of course, Slot still has some way to go before he achieves iconic status at Anfield, but the Dutch tactician has certainly got off on the right foot. Taking pretty much the same squad of players left to him by Klopp, Slot brought his own style to the side, without getting rid of all the good values his predecessor had instilled in the group.
Liverpool Not Afraid To Get Their Hands Dirty
It’s only the early part of the season, but Liverpool have already displayed the different sides to their game in the first weeks of the campaign. Whether it’s winning an end-to-end shootout at St James’ Park in a five-goal thriller against Newcastle, or grinding out a win at Turf Moor thanks to an injury-time penalty from Mohamed Salah, Liverpool are finding ways to win games. That was also evident in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Arsenal at Anfield, with Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning long-range free-kick sealing a dramatic late victory for Slot’s side.
Key players standing up in big moments is what can decide Premier League title races, as Liverpool showed on the way to the English crown last season. The Reds have made a solid start to their title defence and that’s without Isak settling into his new surroundings on Merseyside just yet. If the Swede can replicate his form with Newcastle and avoid too many injury setbacks, Isak’s presence in the final third can take this team to new heights domestically and potentially in Europe.
The early signs are there that Liverpool have the flexibility to win all sorts of games and, while there will of course be bumps in the road this long season, the Reds have been putting an early marker down for their Premier League rivals to take notice.
