It’s a game that Liverpool fans present will forever remember as the nightmare in Naples. Be under no illusions, the 1-4 scoreline did not flatter Napoli as they laid siege to the Reds’ goal in their Champions League clash on Wednesday evening, and it would not be unjust to suggest that the Italians could and perhaps should have scored more.
Liverpool’s chances of recapturing the Premier League crown took another hit on Saturday with more dropped points. The goalless draw at Goodison Park was an entertaining affair, but Jurgen Klopp will be left ruing the fact that his players hit the Everton woodwork on three separate occasions through Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Dias, while effervescent substitute Bobby Firmino forced Jordan Pickford to make a catalogue of good saves.
The cheer that greeted Fabio Carvalho’s 98th minute winner against Newcastle United on Wednesday was as loud as anything witnessed at Anfield in some time. That’s perhaps testament to how far the Magpies have come since they welcomed the Saudi blood money, sorry, investment into the club, but also there was a sense of relief for Liverpool fans that their team’s dominance was finally rewarded with practically the last kick of the game.
Well, to say that was unexpected is something of an understatement. Liverpool went from on the ropes to equalling the record Premier League win in a matter of days, with the rampant Reds slamming nine goals past a hapless Bournemouth side.
Liverpool’s slump continued on Monday evening when a 1-2 defeat at Old Trafford condemned them to a third straight game without a win in the Premier League. Although the panic button is yet to be pressed, there are definitely fingers lingering poised after the Reds tasted defeat against a Manchester United side that had been trounced by Brentford just days earlier.
The average football season is kind of like that old fable about the hare and the tortoise – it’s not how you start that’s important, but how you finish. Mind you, even the sluggish tortoise got some momentum up in the end, and Jurgen Klopp will be mildly concerned that his Liverpool side are yet to win a Premier League game in 2022/23 – especially as champions Man City have blitzed their way to a perfect start and six goals into the bargain.
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.
In the end, it was not to be for Liverpool, who had their Premier League title hopes dashed on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign. At one stage the Reds went favourites with the bookies to lift the trophy, with Manchester City 0-2 down against Aston Villa and Liverpool looking likely to beat Wolves despite going an early goal down.
However, it was not meant to be, as the Villains lived up to their name by conceding three goals in the space of five mad minutes.