Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
Liverpool's defence of their Premier League title faded away by the midway point last season. A host of factors went against them, including injuries to key players and the difficulty of successfully defending the league crown. What cannot have been underestimated, however, is how important the home fans are to Liverpool at Anfield. As we have seen so often during big Champions League nights, the supporters have been their 12th man.
Liverpool won 10 of their 19 home matches in the Premier League last season. They lost six games at home in the league, which is particularly high for the club. When the final standings were broken down by home and away matches, they finished fifth in the home table.
In Liverpool's title success two years ago, they prevailed in 18 of their 19 home matches and drew the other game in what was complete domination at Anfield. They will be hoping for something similar next season and their fans can play a big part in that.
Expect to see the Anfield crowd really lift their team as the Merseyside club looks to claim some silverware. The Premier League and Champions League will be the priorities but Klopp could also target some cup success. His side are 7/1 in the betting from Space Casino for the world's oldest cup competition, the FA Cup.
Last season was the first in three years that Liverpool did not lift a trophy. They were eliminated in the Champions League at the quarter-final stages, Manchester United beat them in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and they did not get beyond the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
Klopp now has a fully fit squad to choose from which will help him juggle his team selection across the respective competitions. His team really missed former PFA Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk at the back. Not only are his leadership skills invaluable, but he has also been arguably the best defender in world football for a number of years now.
Ibrahima Konate has been the stand-out signing for Liverpool this summer and he arrives with a huge reputation. The 22-year-old has a lot of experience for his age and has performed really well for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga and Champions League over the last few years.
City are the odds-on favourites with the bookmakers to come out on top again in the Premier League. They bolstered their squad with the addition of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa, breaking the British transfer record to bring the England international to the Etihad Stadium.
One thing that is against City is the record Premier League winners have the following year. Only one team has been able to defend their title in the last 10 years – that was when Pep Guardiola's side did it in 2019. The Manchester club have won three of the last four Premier League crowns so they have been the dominant team in that period.
Chelsea and Manchester United will also be hoping to be in the mix along with Liverpool and Manchester City. We could be set for a great season ahead.
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My daughter's first ever football match - Orlando City v Atlanta United, August 2019. Written for Izzy to read when she gets old enough. Vamos Orlando