After a nearly three-month summer break, fans can once again hold their breath for the upcoming matches from one of the most interesting football tournaments – the Premier League.
The 11 weeks of rest certainly seemed too long for football fans, but for the players who will be playing at full speed in the next 10 months, the break must have passed in a flash.
So let’s see what has happened in the Premier League since its start for 2022/2023 and what Liverpool’s poor start means for the team’s chances of challenging for the title this year.
Now What?
Not that Liverpool lacked success before, but under Jurgen Klopp, the Merseysiders are really writing their new history.
Two seasons ago, the club brought the Premier League title to Anfield after a 30-year drought in this regard, and a year earlier, they triumphed in the tournament that brings together the top European clubs – the Champions League. All this, along with many other successes, quickly put the team on the map of one of the most dangerous holding claims to dominate European football.
As for Liverpool’s chances of lifting the trophy this season, it is still too early to make any definitive predictions. That said, sports betting UK operator 32Red is giving fans of the game many opportunities to place bets on their views on what is shaping up to be an extremely tight season.
Although the first three games did not go according to plan for the Reds, the team has plenty of time to turn things around. Let’s not forget that the World Cup is coming, which will inevitably have an impact on the performance of all club tournaments in the world.
Near Miss Last Season
After a strong but difficult 2021/2022 season, the Reds fell just two points short of finishing ahead of league winners Manchester City.
However, with the beginning of the new season, the team did not start very convincingly. Although only three games have been played, they have ended with a loss and two draws for Klopp’s boys, with the club currently in an unenviable 18th position in the standings.
As you might expect, there are more than one or two possible reasons for this, and while we don’t know exactly what’s going on in the club’s kitchen, some of the problems are visible on the outside.
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Limited Pickings
The last game against arch-rivals Manchester United, in which Liverpool lost 2-1, highlighted the problems caused by the lack of key players for the German coach to choose from.
Even before the match, the manager shared his concern that the numerous absences left him with a limited choice from on the bench.
On top of it all, there were missing players in every position, with names such as Ibrahima Konate, Naby Keita and Diogo Jota not available due to injuries. New signing Darwin Nunez was serving a three-match ban for a headbutt on Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen.
Building a Midfield
Liverpool’s midfield has been the subject of plenty of commentary and criticism even before the start of the season. Many have expressed the view that Klopp needs to strengthen the midfield, and it was expected until recently that this would happen during the pre-season transfer window.
The club brought in two strikers, attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho as well as a defender, but did not add a new addition to the centre of the field. Klopp is relying on the players he already has, though after the Manchester United defeat, he hinted at being open to attracting someone to this position if he gets the green light from the club. For the match with the Red Devils, the coach was deprived of four of his midfielders.
Mane’s Departure
Last but not least, the absence of Sadio Mane, who moved to Bayern Munich, had an impact on the performance of the Reds. For six seasons, the striker has been a stalwart of the Merseysiders’ attack. His absence from the forward line means a complete change in Liverpool’s tactics and strategy in forward positions, a change that will require time to adapt and analyse the results.
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