The Liverpool season preview 2023/24 has one clear objective: return to the Champions League spots as a minimum and challenge again for trophies – no mean feat for a team in transition.
Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner have left after a combined 900 outings under Jurgen Klopp, and the midfield rebuild that should have got going a year ago is now happening in a matter of weeks.
Only Mohamed Salah outscored Darwin Nunez in the latter’s first Liverpool campaign, yet with the Uruguayan’s chaotic style and semi-frequent butchering of chances being far from Firmino’s cerebral grace, pressure on the club-record signing will only increase.
The Merseysiders’ lateseason run of form, helped by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transformative redeployment as an inverted full-back, must be backed up by a decent start. FourFourTwo previews Liverpool's Premier League season.
Liverpool season preview 2023/24: The lesson from last year
Liverpool’s inconsistent 2022/23 began with a quadruple-missing hangover that they struggled to shift. The Reds went behind in eight of their first 14 league games, as teams figured out how to beat and exploit the Klopp press.
With Jordan Henderson and Fabinho beginning to show wear and tear, Alexander-Arnold shifting inside when in possession had the twin effects of adding midfield control and pushing the playmaker into higher areas. It should have happened sooner – seven of his nine assists came in the six post-tweak weeks from early April that revived their season.
The cut-price deal for Alexis Mac Allister early in this window, soon followed by Dominik Szoboszlai, is proof that the midfield rebuild remains Klopp’s top priority, despite the new hybrid style.
The coach: Jurgen Klopp
All faith remains in Jurgen Klopp. Should the longest-serving gaffer in the Premier League depart before his contract expires in 2026, it would be an enormous shock – and doubtless trigger paroxysms of grief all around Anfield. The German gurner felt responsible for last term and wants to put it right.
Key player: Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah remains the undisputed king of Liverpool. His level of consistency is remarkable: in each of the last three seasons he has played 51 matches, posting goal returns of 31, 31 and 30. The Egyptian forward is 31, and with two years left on his deal, his peak years are destined to be at Anfield.
The mood around Liverpool
This is the first time in a while that life in the red half of Merseyside has been anything less than ebullient, but belief remains strong with Klopp at the helm. Luis Diaz’s return from injury and Curtis Jones’ excellent end-of-season form offers hope following the dismal days of February and a third Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in four campaigns.
A changing of the guard also provides Anfield with the chance to do what it does best: create a new set list of epic terrace chants, to soon be mimicked by every other fanbase.
One to watch
Cody Gakpo in his first full campaign. The 24-year-old, who’s also played as a free No.8, recovered from a slow start with goals against Everton and in that 7-0 Manchester United drubbing to become Firmino’s false-nine heir.
Most likely to...
Block-book all available ferry tickets to Dublin six months in advance of the Europa League final. On the pitch, they will rely on their goalkeeper more than any other club: Alisson saved 10 goals more than his xG against suggested he ‘should’ have repelled in 2022/23.
Least likely to...
Concede set-piece goals – the Reds shipped a league-low eight last term, scoring the most (excluding penalties).
The fan's view: Matt Ladson (@mattladson)
Last season was viewed as an unmitigated failure.
The big talking point is the new-look midfield. Alexis Mac Allister could be a top addition, as may Dominik Szoboszlai. Also, does Jurgen Klopp continue with the 3-2-5 formation that has Trent Alexander-Arnold inverted in midfield?
I won’t be happy unless we dramatically improve on the road, have a functioning midfield, finish in the top two and win the Europa League.
Fans think our owners are the devil re-incarnate, if you live on Twitter; sensible but too risk-averse if you don’t.
The one change I’d make would be to generate more season tickets, especially in the new Anfield Road Stand.
Our most underrated player is somehow Mo Salah – why the media and football world don’t realise what he’s achieving is beyond me!
The opposition player who grinds my gears is Harry Kane and his snide fouls that no referee ever gives against England’s captain.
Our key player will be Alisson, again. We will still give up too many clear-cut chances due to our style, so the keeper’s excellence in one-on-one situations is vital.
The pantomime villain will be Pep Guardiola, no doubt crying that nobody speaks about Manchester City the way they do about Liverpool or Manchester United – clubs who didn’t spend billions to win the Champions League.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is undoubted, even with the huge mistakes he made last season. He must, though, atone this term.
Look out for Ben Doak, 17. With the Europa League, there will be chances for young players. He’ll take his.
We’ll finish 2nd – much better but not enough to overtake Manchester City
Season previews for the Premier League, League One and League Two are all available HERE
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