Liverpool Season Preview - Will the Reds end the season as champions?

Liverpool were exceptional on occasion last season as they powered their way to the Champions League final and secured a top-4 finish to ensure a return to Europe’s elite club competition. They endured their moments of madness, but all in all; the Reds could well have been considered the most watchable team in England. A summer of hefty investment means they are deemed Manchester City’s biggest threat to the Premier League title and they’ll need to live up to exceptionally high expectations at Anfield. 

One to Watch - Naby Keita 

The midfielder’s move to Liverpool was confirmed last year, but part of the agreement was that Naby Keita would see out the season with RB Leipzig. Fans will be hoping he is worth the wait. The 23-year-old may have struggled on occasion in the Bundesliga last season, but he still scored six and assisted five in Germany’s top tier to return a WhoScored rating of 7.24. As the driving force from midfield, he’ll have the freedom to push on and link with the attack, safe in the knowledge that fellow new arrival Fabinho is sitting deep to protect the defence. 

Best Signing - Alisson 

Loris Karius’ double-gaffe in the Champions League final seems to have broken him and after a couple of errors in pre-season, Liverpool wasted no time in landing a new goalkeeper. While they paid a world-record £62m to secure Alisson’s services, the Brazilian is very much worth the fee. A save success rate of 80.1% was the best in Serie A last season and he improves a problematic position for Liverpool. Many will look to Naby Keita or Fabinho as their best signing, while Xherdan Shaqiri is a solid addition, but it’s Alisson who is their stand out, and most important, buy this summer. 

Welcome to @LFC, @Alissonbecker. 🔴https://t.co/t4msWAm2sU pic.twitter.com/2xefw3zIFU

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 19, 2018

Area of Weakness 

Dejan Lovren may be one of the self-proclaimed “best defenders in the world” but let’s face it - he’s not good enough for a title challenging team. Yes, Croatia made it to the World Cup final, yet their resolute defence was made possible by the performances of defensive teammate Domagoj Vida. Joel Matip’s injury issues means Liverpool could well be a quality centre-back short of a sustained title push. A top quality partner for Virgil van Dijk may not arrive this late in the window, yet it remains an area that could well be improved upon. 

Prediction / Best Bet 

Liverpool proved time and time again that they have the means to put any team to the sword on their day, yet struggled against those who sit deep and soak up pressure having dropped points against the likes of Burnley, Swansea and West Brom last term. The addition of Shaqiri adds another option to Jurgen Klopp’s forward line, while Keita should provide a further dimension to their attack. Of course, their rivals have improved since last season, but Liverpool to finish top without title favourites Manchester City is a tantalising 2.4 with Unibet and 888Sport and that is well worth backing. If you’re daring enough, though, Liverpool to be crowned champions is available at 5s with some bookmakers.