Making predictions for Liverpool’s 2021/22 season based on last season would be quite easy to do; Jurgen Klopp’s side will not be losing six home games in a row this season; Alisson Becker won’t be scoring a 95th-minute winner; and surely the Reds will not be beset by injuries, particularly at centre-back, as they were.
In truth, it was a minor miracle that the Merseysiders were even able to survive last season without any long-term damage done. By finishing third after an impressive end to the season of 10 games unbeaten, winning the final five, it ensured Champions League football remains at Anfield - and no big names departing.
This summer has been the re-set that was needed. A proper pre-season and fans back in the ground, plus the returns of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip. In a complete turnaround, Liverpool had eight centre backs in their initial pre-season training camp!
Liverpool FourFourTwo preview and prediction: How can Jurgen Klopp & Co rediscover their mojo?
We take our annual look at what we think might happen for the Reds in the season ahead…
Another 20-plus goal season for Salah
Strange but true: the only season Mo Salah hasn’t scored 20 or more goals for Liverpool was the year the Reds won the league title.
The Egyptian shows absolutely no signs of slowing down and he was one of the key reasons Liverpool are still in Europe’s elite competition, displaying his competitive desire to play a big part in the upturn in form at the end of last season.
He didn’t score at all in Liverpool’s pre-season, but he has six goals in the last four season’s opening games. So yeah, look out Norwich on Saturday…
FourFourTwo 2021/22 season preview and predictions
Jota to start more league games than Firmino
While Salah’s place in the Liverpool attack is entirely assured, the other two of the acclaimed front three suffered a drop off during the phantom season behind closed doors. Both Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino struggled for long spells of 2020/21, and Firmino in particular finds himself under pressure from Diogo Jota.
Had it not been for injury last winter, Jota may even have usurped Firmino as the Reds’ centre-forward already. The Portuguese has played mostly in the No.9 role in pre-season, which puts pressure on the Brazilian to find his form again.
Jota, though, will benefit from his versatility in also being able to play on the left in place of Mane.
Kaide Gordon to become Liverpool’s youngest ever goalscorer
Kaide Gordon puts Liverpool one ahead. pic.twitter.com/pQyV4Wn6pXMay 4, 2021
What were you doing when you were 16 years old? Likely not benching a European Cup-goalscoring forward in a pre-season friendly as Kaide Gordon was when he started Liverpool’s final pre-season friendly on Monday night ahead of Divock Origi.
The winger, signed from Derby in January, was added to the Reds’ pre-season training camp and when others moved back to the academy he remained.
In order to become Liverpool’s youngest ever goalscoring - beating Ben Woodburn - he has to score before November 19, 2021.
So we’re backing him to do so in an early League Cup round… unless we can also count the Papa John’s Trophy?
18 different centre-back pairings won’t be used
In 1965/66, Liverpool used 14 players all season. Yes, just 14 (fourteen) all season. That’s four fewer than the number of centre-back combinations used in a single season last year.
The list of those who played at centre-back last season is: Van Dijk, Gomez, Matip, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Ozan Kabak, Rhys Williams, Nat Phillips and Billy Koumetio.
Somehow Mr Utility James Milner never got the nod, and neither did January signing Ben Davies, who can at least say he has now finally played at Anfield after a late cameo in the Reds’ friendly vs. Osasuna.
This season will be different. Van Dijk is back and some expect him to start the opening game at Norwich. Matip will likely be alongside him for that.
Gomez is also back, but unlikely to be starting just yet. And new signing Ibrahima Konate means there are four proper centre-back options.
Nat Phillips is likely to be sold, Rhys Williams could remain as a fifth choice, but Davies should head out on loan.
What’s most important is that Fabinho and Henderson shouldn’t be required to deputise in the heart of defence.
Liverpool to embrace new ‘underdog’ status
With the spending of the other big three title contenders, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, Liverpool somewhat find themselves without much attention on them going into the new season.
For City, they simply have to win the league after spending £100m on Jack Grealish and likely an even bigger fee for Harry Kane.
Chelsea, in paying a similarly huge fee for a player they let go for less than £30m seven years ago, are also under pressure to deliver, with Romelu Lukaku seen as the final piece in their jigsaw up front.
And over at Old Trafford, having added Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, they need to win something under Ole Gunnar Solksjaer at last.
For Liverpool, the pressure is off. They have - at the time of writing - added only a backup centre-back in Konate. They are David competing against multiple Goliaths.
Being the underdog is something Klopp’s teams embrace and often thrive as.
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