Can Liverpool win the Premier League title next year?

“reaction in the moment” interview</a> tinged with the harsh reality of the new normal.</p> <p>He spilled his emotions the whole way as he dedicated the Reds first domestic league title in 30 years to the last manager that won the title, Kenny Dalglish, and the former captain who spent his career chasing it, Steven Gerrard.</p> <p>Jürgen Klopp sealed his legendary status as Liverpool manager forever by doing what the club’s supporters had craved for a generation: to be back on their perch.</p> <p>Now, I am going to spoil the party and ask the inevitable question.</p> <p>Can Liverpool win the Premier League title again next season?</p> <p>On the surface, there is a straightforward answer. Yes, of course, they CAN win the title again.</p> <p>If I said anything other than that, I would have to quit writing about football and start writing about cliff diving, marble races, and <em>Property Brothers.</em></p> <p>LFC is a team that has been meticulously put together to win titles. They are a team that consists of way too much talent and ability not to be considered title contenders next season. In Klopp, they have arguably the best manager in the world.</p> <p>However, this is the English Premier League, and repeating as champions is much harder than winning it in the first place. Just ask Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Liverpool With The Ball </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_482444" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-482444 size-full" src=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2393,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2020%2F06%2F1222646077.jpeg" alt="Liverpool" width="3200" height="2393" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2020/06/1222646077.jpeg 3200w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2020/06/1222646077-768x574.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Mohamed Salah, Liverpool (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Liverpool’s offense is one of the best in the <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://thetopflight.com/">Top Flight</a>, but they are unlikely to maintain their current performance level.</h2> <p>The Reds are second-best in the Premier League in goals and expected goals. They also have the second-highest non-penalty expected goals plus expected assists per 90 minutes (npxG+xA/90).</p> <p>The front three of <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/c691bfe2/Sadio-Mane">Sadio Mané</a>, <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/4c370d81/Roberto-Firmino">Roberto Firmino</a>, and <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/e342ad68/Mohamed-Salah">Mohamed Salah</a> are a dynamic and productive force. The trio has combined for 40 goals and 21 assists. Each player has a npxG+xA/90 of 0.62 or higher.</p> <div class="recent-posts "> <h4>More from <b>Playing for 90</b></h4> <ul> <li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2023/11/13/leon-juarez-playoffs/"> Leon edges scrappy FC Juarez to secure spot in playoffs </a> </li><li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2023/11/12/megan-rapinoe-career-defined-more-farewell-match-injury/"> Megan Rapinoe’s career defined by more than farewell match injury </a> </li><li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2023/11/12/barcelona-manage-comeback-alaves/"> Lewandowski scores twice as Barcelona come back to beat Alaves 2-1 </a> </li><li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2023/11/12/liga-mx-leon-puebla-finales/"> León chasing play-in spot; Puebla aims for higher seeding </a> </li><li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2023/11/12/tigres-goalie-america/"> Carlos Rodríguez emerges with clean sheet vs league leaders </a> </li></ul> </div> <p>Salah and Mané average over three shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (SCA/90). Two of Klopp’s recent offensive tactical innovations, long balls and using full-backs more effectively on the attack, has led to devastatingly effective results. <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/cd1acf9d/Trent-Alexander-Arnold">Trent Alexander-Arnold</a> is fourth-best in the league in goal creating actions per 90 minutes (GCA/90) and ninth in SCA/90.</p> <p>Liverpool has an offensive goal conversion rate of +5.75, third-best in the division. Among the top five clubs on the table, only Leicester has a higher rating. Manchester City (-2.22), Chelsea (-6.44), and Manchester United (-5.68) all have struggled with converting their goal opportunities.</p> <p>As great as the LFC front-line trio are, it is unlikely they will maintain their level of productivity and clinical finishing.</p> <p>Unless Pep Guardiola turns into José Mourinho, City is going to continue to have the best offense in the league. If they improve their clinical finishing, then they will be even more dangerous. I would not put it past them to get another forward or midfielder to add more depth.</p> <p>Chelsea, one of the worst at converting their chances, have both a nucleus of talented young and established in-coming forwards, <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/49fe9070/Timo-Werner">Timo Werner</a> and <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/6622454d/Hakim-Ziyech">Hakim Ziyech</a>, that will undoubtedly improve their productivity.</p> <p>Manchester United will also improve their goal-scoring prowess next year. <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/507c7bdf/Bruno-Fernandes">Bruno Fernandes</a> has energized the attack by creatively feeding <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/a1d5bd30/Marcus-Rashford">Marcus Rashford</a> and <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/8b788c01/Anthony-Martial">Anthony Martial</a> the ball in better scoring positions.</p> <p>If <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/867239d3/Paul-Pogba">Paul Pogba</a> stays and they add another winger or striker, then United will be even more potent.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Liverpool Off The Ball </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_482433" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-482433 size-full" src=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2198,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2020%2F06%2F1252295460.jpeg" alt="Liverpool" width="3200" height="2198" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2020/06/1252295460.jpeg 3200w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2020/06/1252295460-768x528.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Liverpool’s defense is the best in the Premier League, but the other title contenders are going to catch up.</h2> <p>Klopp learned the hard way that if you press in the Premier League, then you need to make sure you shore up the back-line and goaltending.</p> <p>The two best transfers of LFC’s recent history are <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/e06683ca/Virgil-van-Dijk">Virgil van Dijk</a> and <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://fbref.com/en/players/7a2e46a8/Alisson">Alisson. They spent a combined $161.87 million on the pair. The result? The best goaltender and center back in the Premier League.</p> <p>The Reds have a goals-against conversion rate of +8.38, which is the fourth-best in the division. Amongst the top five, only Leicester (+10.54) did a better job at stopping opponents from converting their chances at putting balls in the back of the net.</p> <p>Manchester United significantly improved their back four before this season and is one quality addition away from matching its rival’s defensive power.</p> <p>MCFC’s defense overall is not as bad as it looks. Their goals-against conversion rate is -0.40 despite all of their visually gut-wrenching errors. If they add another signing on the back-line, they will improve.</p> <p>Frank Lampard’s Chelsea squad was the worst team in the Premier League at stopping opponents from converting their goal chances with a rating of -7.60. However, it is not clear whether the club will attempt to add another piece; it’s hard to imagine that there will not be an improvement in the next season.</p> <p>However, it’s the Reds intangibles that have set them apart. However, intangibles are the most vulnerable to change.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Liverpool's Intangibles </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_482431" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-482431 size-full" src=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1066,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2020%2F06%2F1206707359.jpeg" alt="Jurgen Klopp" width="1600" height="1066" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2020/06/1206707359.jpeg 1600w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2020/06/1206707359-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool (Photo by Max Maiwald/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Liverpool won the Premier League by being the best at winning matches when they played poorly and should have drawn or lost.</h2> <p>One reason that Klopp is the best current manager in football (there, I said it) is because of his man-management skills and emotional intelligence. He is the best leader in the league at these attributes among a field of great coaches.</p> <p>His aforementioned post-title-winning interview with Sky Sports is one of the many examples that prove the point.</p> <div class="recent-posts "> <h4>More from <b>Liverpool FC</b></h4> <ul> <li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2023/03/14/liverpool-roller-coaster-season/"> Liverpool’s roller coaster of a season continues </a> </li><li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2023/02/12/bubble-finally-burst-liverpool/"> Has the bubble finally burst at Liverpool? </a> </li><li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2023/01/27/liverpool-regain-lost-glory/"> How Liverpool can regain their lost glory </a> </li><li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2022/08/04/three-factors-liverpool-upcoming-season/"> Three factors which might determine the fate of the Reds this season </a> </li><li> <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2022/06/14/3-liverpool-players-benefit-nunez/"> 3 Liverpool players who can benefit the most from Darwin Nunez’s signing </a> </li></ul> </div> <p>Jürgen is perfect for Liverpool and the team that he has put together. He has used his philosophy and mixed it with an understanding of the club’s ethos to be an inspirational leader.</p> <p>As a result of this critical intangible, Liverpool is the best, by a considerable margin, at converting expected points into actual points with a points conversion rating of +21.96. Most football analytics experts will likely say that when a club has a positive rating, it is due to luck.</p> <p>In Liverpool’s case, this is not true. Their rating is based on a sample size of 31 matches, which is way too big to say its luck.</p> <p>Chelsea, United, and Man City all have negative points conversion rates. Their numbers can be attributed to poor luck, but more than likely, there are other intangible factors at work.</p> <p>Chelsea and the Red Devils both have inexperienced managers who are both likely to improve. Pep Guardiola’s level of intensity and rigidity after four years may likely turn him and his club into burnt toast unless significant changes are made.</p> <p>Klopp is not likely to change as a manager after this season’s achievements, but the club’s desire to win may dissipate. Their points conversion rate is unsustainable from one year to the next.</p> <p>The combination of player moves and managerial improvements, especially at Chelsea and United, is likely to close the gap.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Revealed: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp voices his Jadon Sancho stance" data-url="https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/28/liverpool-jurgen-klopp-jadon-sancho/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/07/01/liverpool-win-premier-league-year/"https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/28/liverpool-jurgen-klopp-jadon-sancho/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Revealed: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp voices his Jadon Sancho stance </a> </div> </div> <p>Liverpool should be title favorites next year; however, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United are in prime position to make Klopp’s next big task his most challenging so far.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">