Most fancied Liverpool for the league title last summer. Now almost no one does.
Liverpool went into last summer as champions. Then they signed the best player in Germany, the best striker available in the market and the best left-back in the league. Hugo Ekitike immediately impressed. Jeremie Frimpong came in to provide an option at right-back and right wing. Giovanni Leoni was being talked about as one of the best young defenders in Italy.
Liverpool were hardly an outside shout. In BBC Sport’s pre-season predictions, 22 of 35 had Liverpool down as champions. This season, only four of 28 have them finishing higher than third.
Quite the turnaround.
The performances weren’t there last season, but Liverpool went five from five in the league. Everyone thought it was only a matter of time before everything clicked. Me included.
It didn’t.
Liverpool finished fifth and it ultimately cost Arne Slot his job.
So is it right to completely overlook Liverpool?
Off the first two games, yes. After Ipswich, no.
Some might say it was only Ipswich. That point is valid. But something looked different to me.
For the first time this season, Liverpool looked like a proper team playing like a team.
They were less open. Mac Allister in particular helped bring much more control to the midfield. Szoboszlai was excellent alongside him. Araújo came in at right-back, won every duel and immediately made Liverpool look much more solid defensively.
Isak looked like Isak again. Virgil van Dijk looked like Virgil van Dijk again.
Most importantly, Liverpool looked like they had been coached well.
That is where Iraola comes into it.
His biggest strength at Bournemouth was getting the best out of his players. If he does that at Liverpool, they are genuine title contenders.
He left Bournemouth on an 18-game unbeaten league run and, after Liverpool’s unbeaten first three games, that run is now 21 league games across the two clubs. That’s some achievement.
I rate Iraola highly and appointing him is one of the decisions Richard Hughes definitely got right.
And the forward options, for me, are the best in the league.
I think Bradley Barcola will be the best wide player in the Premier League. I’ve already written about why.
Wirtz still has so much more to come. Iraola just needs to get it out of him.
Isak’s Liverpool career hasn’t gone to plan at all so far, but he has three goals in three this season. Against Ipswich he looked like the Isak of old. The version that made him, in my opinion, the best striker in the league.
Most would say Haaland. I think Isak has a lot more to his game.
Then there is Cody Gakpo.
He was almost sold at the end of the window and Liverpool made the right call keeping him. Gakpo has looked like a world-class winger in these first three games. It’s a tiny sample size, but this is the best I’ve seen him play for Liverpool. By some distance.
Then you still have Victor Muñoz, who already looks a steal at £34.5m, Rio Ngumoha, one of the brightest young players in England, and Hugo Ekitike to come back in the new year.
No one’s forward options come close to that for me.
Further back, Liverpool still have Alisson and Van Dijk.
For me, Liverpool’s best-ever goalkeeper and Liverpool’s best-ever centre-back.
Last season wasn’t Van Dijk’s best. This season he looks much more like his old self. He was particularly aggressive against Ipswich. When he’s in that kind of mood, nobody gets a sniff.
That doesn’t mean the squad is perfect.
I was critical of Liverpool’s summer business because two areas that needed addressing weren’t addressed: full-back and central midfield.
That is still the biggest reason Liverpool might not win the league.
I think the squad can handle a normal amount of injuries, but it depends where they happen. Lose a couple of forwards and Liverpool have options everywhere. Lose two midfielders at the same time and they could be in big trouble. The same applies at full-back.
That lack of depth is a genuine concern.
But that is very different from saying Liverpool have no chance.
I’m not saying Liverpool will win the league.
I’m saying they are genuine title contenders.
Look at the players at the club. Look at the forward options. Look at what Iraola has already shown he can do with players.
Why haven’t Liverpool got a chance?
A lot more of one than people are giving them credit for.