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There was barely a dry eye in the house as Liverpool drew 1-1 with Brentford to round out the 2025/26 season.
Not so much at the result, although that in itself was a fitting way to sign off on a campaign that could best be described as average at best, but as Anfield rose to bid a fond farewell to both Mo Salah and Andy Robertson.
In comes another one.
As Liverpool flail desperately in a bid to sign a defensive midfield player in the summer transfer window, Jurgen Klopp has turned to a happy hunting ground in the hope of signing the right player.
Wataru Endo looks to be Klopp’s number one choice to fill the void left behind by Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and co. The Stuttgart man is expected to sign for around £15 million, and at the age of 30 brings an end to Liverpool’s traditional transfer policy of signing players for tomorrow as much as today.
The new football season is a time for fresh hope, unrelenting optimism – misguided or otherwise – and dreams of trophies and major glory. The success, or otherwise, of the last campaign is long forgotten.
Of course, not every team can win on the opening day of the season, and so for some the pre-term excitement and anticipation is extinguished rather quickly to be replaced by those old feelings of ‘oh, here we go again’. Hello darkness, my old friend.
Over the past decade, Liverpool have enjoyed a rather charmed life on the opening day of the Premier League campaign – in fact, prior to the 2023/24 season, you have to go back to 2012 to find the last time that the Reds lost their first game of the term.
Once upon a time winning a point at Stamford Bridge would have been classed as a decent result. These days? Not so much.
But Liverpool should cling heartily to the point earned from the 0-0 draw with Chelsea on Tuesday evening as they were thoroughly outplayed from the get-go.
There would have been moments that pleased Jurgen Klopp despite defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Thursday, and at other times he will have been tearing his hair out in frustration.
It was somehow fitting, given how their season has gone so far, that in a game Liverpool only really needed to draw on Wednesday they produced an exemplary performance.
Well, that didn’t pan out as expected.
Liverpool would have been sensing a comfortable victory against Fulham to open their Premier League account last week, but Jurgen Klopp’s men twice had to come from behind to salvage a point.
We’re barely into August and Liverpool already have their first trophy of the season in the cabinet!
Call it a glorified friendly if you want, but the intensity that the Reds and Manchester City showed in the Community Shield game on Saturday tells you everything you need to know about these sides – both were desperate to get one over on the other, as much as getting their hands on the trophy.
Whether it’s a sign of age or a fair enough point, the English football season seems to come round quicker and quicker these days.
That’s no problem for lovers of the beautiful game, of course, and Liverpool fans will be keen to get a look at the new signings that will hopefully guide them to the Premier League and Champions League double this term.
Liverpool’s quest for a historic quadruple remains on after they edged past Benfica in their Champions League quarter-final encounter.
There was a sharp intake of breath from many – this writer included – when the Reds teamsheet was announced on Wednesday, with Jurgen Klopp making seven changes to what is his preferred starting eleven.