We’ve all heard the accusations and whispers this season from rival fans, haven’t we?
‘This Liverpool team isn’t actually that great.’ ‘The Premier League is a poor league this season.’ ‘Liverpool’s class of 2024-25 wouldn’t have won the title in another season.’
How fair is this, though?
Firstly, it has to be said Liverpool’s usual rivals are not having their best seasons.
Defending champions Manchester City are on track for their worst campaign under Pep Guardiola, Manchester United are set for their worst season in Premier League history, Arsenal are eight points adrift of their points tally at this stage of last season, while Tottenham and Chelsea have suffered their own struggles as well.
It’s been a good season for Liverpool to hit full stride then. And Slot’s men have certainly done that.
Even if Arsenal were on the 74 points they had reached at this stage last season, when they were top of the table, Liverpool would still be five points ahead of them.
Arsenal’s much-lauded Invincibles finished their title-winning campaign on 90 points in 2004. Slot’s men need 12 points from five games to beat that.
In 32 Premier League seasons, only 14 sides have reached that mark and one of them – Manchester United in 1993-94 – did so in a 42-game season.
Liverpool are also the only side to get 90-plus points and not win the title – doing so twice under Jurgen Klopp – meaning only 12 of the previous 31 league-winning sides posted 90 points or more.
You can only beat what is front of you and Liverpool have done just that in formidable style.
