Following perhaps the worst goalkeeping performance of all time from Loris Karius, it’s easy to forget Liverpool finished last season on a real high.
Not only did the Reds do enough to maintain their place in the Premier League’s top four, but they also made it all the way to the Champions League final – only for a few cruel twists of misfortune to prevent them from lifting Europe’s most coveted prize.
It’s now a question of whether Liverpool can carry that momentum into next season and while the Reds have shown what they can do on the European stage, Jurgen Klopp will be desperate to turn this side’s obvious potential into top flight performances that are consistently strong enough to really challenge last season’s victors Manchester City for the Premier League title.
The Anfield outfit have already boosted their chances of that by welcoming Fabinho and Naby Keita to Merseyside, but it will be important for them to start next season in the strongest terms possible. Their opening fixtures of the 2018/19 Premier League season, now officially confirmed, will give Reds fans an indication of how likely that is…
11th August – West Ham United (H)
18th August – Crystal Palace (A)
25 August – Brighton and Hove Albion (H)
1 September – Leicester City (A)
15 September – Tottenham Hotspur (A)
22 September – Southampton (H)
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255848″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Liverpool’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]
Verdict
Liverpool have been handed a kind start to the season, with West Ham at home providing the most difficult test in the first three games before away trips to Leicester and Tottenham will test Jurgen Klopp’s side’s mettle.
On paper, an away trip to Crystal Palace doesn’t look overly testing, but South London hasn’t always been a happy hunting ground for Liverpool in the past few seasons. This year, however, Klopp’s Reds will be eyeing a title challenge after really coming into their own in the closing stages of last season and having already brought in two exciting midfield reinforcements.
If Liverpool are to be serious contenders for a Premier League title this season, they must look upon this as a kind start, and a chance to pick up near maximum points because there’ll be much tougher games to come later in the campaign.