Liverpool are starting to believe in Premier League glory

LIVERPOOL, England — Whisper it quietly, however on the terraces of Anfield, they’re beginning to imagine. Within the closing minutes of Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over strugglers Leicester Metropolis, cries of “Liverpool, prime of the league” might be heard echoing from the Kop, and the sense that Arne Slot’s facet are heading in the right direction to realize one thing particular this season is rising.

Forward of kick-off, highlights of the final Boxing Day assembly between these two sides have been broadcast on the screens exterior the stadium. Liverpool’s dominance on that event in 2019 was such that Jürgen Klopp would later identify the sport as his group’s greatest-ever Premier League efficiency, with two targets from Roberto Firmino and a aim from James Milner and Trent Alexander-Arnold, respectively, serving to the Reds to a powerful 4-0 win on the King Energy Stadium.

That victory noticed Liverpool transfer 13 factors clear on the prime of the desk — with Leicester on the time their closest challengers — and irrefutably marked Klopp’s facet out as champions-elect. By the point Premier League soccer was halted as a result of coronavirus pandemic in mid-March 2020, Liverpool had a 25-point lead on the summit, with only one defeat and one attract 27 league video games.

For all of their brilliance, Slot’s facet haven’t fairly matched these heady heights this time period, however the inconsistency of their rivals means they don’t have to. In contrast to in earlier seasons when the relentlessness of Manchester Metropolis has necessitated near-perfection from any pretender to their crown, it’s Liverpool who’re setting the tempo on this title race.

Metropolis’s 1-1 draw with Everton on Thursday afternoon left Pep Guardiola’s facet 11 factors adrift of the highest spot, having performed two video games greater than Slot’s facet. Chelsea’s last-gasp defeat to Fulham later within the afternoon introduced Liverpool with an extra alternative to determine themselves as title favourites.

It was a possibility they grabbed, if not fairly with each fingers, then not less than with sufficient conviction to point that they’re very a lot the group to beat in the intervening time, each domestically and in Europe, with victory transferring them seven factors clear on the prime of the desk with a sport in hand.

Leicester are admittedly not as formidable a foe as they have been in 2019. That they had gained only one sport in 10 heading into Thursday evening’s conflict on Merseyside and had not gained at Liverpool’s dwelling stadium since March 2000.

Nonetheless, Slot had acknowledged the perils of underestimating any Premier League opponent in his pre-match information convention and his phrases proving prophetic when Jordan Ayew fired Leicester in entrance inside six minutes. The aim got here massively towards the run of play, with Mohamed Salah having seen an effort crash off the publish solely minutes earlier, however it was a wise end from Leicester’s No. 18, who held off the attentions of Andy Robertson to show and slot coolly previous Alisson Becker after a superb run down the left by Stephy Mavididi.

Liverpool continued to rack up the possibilities as they pursued an equaliser, with first Robertson after which Salah hitting the woodwork. However Slot’s facet appeared to lack the attacking fluency that they had exhibited in abundance of their swashbuckling win over Tottenham on the weekend, whereas Leicester continued to threaten on the break.

Nevertheless, one factor Liverpool have gotten more and more adept at below Slot is discovering methods to win, and this time it fell to Cody Gakpo to set the wheels in movement for a comeback. The Dutchman curled dwelling a chic effort from distance to revive parity on the stroke of half-time.

If the most effective time to attain is simply earlier than the break, then discovering the again of the online shortly after the restart should certainly come a detailed second, and that’s exactly what Liverpool did, taking the lead by Curtis Jones simply 4 minutes into the second half. The midfielder utilized the crowning glory to a spell of intense stress from the hosts, diverting the ball previous Premier League debutant Jakub Stolarczyk after a drilled go from Alexis Mac Allister.

After the aim was confirmed following a prolonged examine from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Liverpool’s celebrations may start in earnest. The Kop struck up a rousing refrain of the carol ‘O Come All Ye Devoted,’ calling on the watching world to “come and behold” Slot’s facet.

Such adulation is quick turning into the soundtrack to Liverpool’s season. The hosts thought that they had made it 3-1 when Gakpo swept dwelling from a deflected Salah cutback, however extra protracted scrutiny from VAR resulted in Darwin Núñez — who endured one other tough night — being dominated offside within the build-up.

Simply when it appeared as if Liverpool might be set for a nervy finish to the match, Salah curled in his nineteenth aim of the season so as to add but additional gloss to what has already been a mesmeric particular person marketing campaign. The significance of making certain that he stays at Anfield past the expiration of his contract subsequent summer time appears to accentuate with each passing week.

On the full-time whistle, Slot’s celebrations have been understated, and the Liverpool boss was fast to emphasize the significance of remaining grounded, at the same time as his group’s title march gathers tempo.

“Little bit of a boring reply and as a supervisor you go sport by sport — you know the way many video games you must play,” the Dutchman stated after the sport when requested if his facet are in pole place to win the league.

“So many groups have a lot high quality. If this occurred within the Eredivisie, I’d say OK that’s true.”

Whereas Liverpool followers know solely too effectively that being prime of the desk at Christmas would not at all times translate into silverware within the Spring, it’s arduous to flee the sensation that yielding the membership’s twentieth league title is a possible prospect this time period.

Slot’s facet weren’t at their finest towards Leicester however, as they got here by yet one more check within the heavy Merseyside fog on Boxing Day, their standing as title favourites seems to be extra clear than ever.