special- Jamie Carragher relished every second of Liverpool’s historic 2019/20 season. Watching Jürgen Klopp’s men win their first Premier League title and flirt with becoming The Invincibles 2.0 is something the former Reds defender will never forget.
The challenge now for Liverpool? Do it all again.
Klopp will know that winning the league by 18 points is definitely not going to happen again. Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are all scoring goals for Liverpool, who will enter the 2020/21 season with a target on their back.
Liverpool storm to 2019/20 Premier League title/Pool/Getty Images
An easy way to ensure another Premier League title is as good this season as they were last, but speaking of. 90 minutes Ahead of Sky Sports’ 29th season of live Premier League coverage, club legend Carragher accepted it must be impossible for Liverpool to do it all again.
“It’s hard to be as good as last year in terms of points,” he begins. “To be good, they have to get 99, 100 points. Can I see Liverpool doing that again? I can’t, but I said last year and they got 97 points.
“After 27 games, I think Liverpool have won 26 and drawn one. They can’t do that, it’s just unbelievable. They’ve dropped a little bit after the lockdown, but I really count on that in some ways. Not doing it – the league was already won. After 27 games, the league was won. Can I see it happening again?
“I definitely think you have to get 90 points. To say you have to get 98, 99 points to win the league is very difficult to do. What Liverpool and City have done in recent years. What’s up, you can.” Don’t believe what you see. When the point totals finally came down, we’d say, ‘Remember when teams were scoring almost 100 points?’
Klopp makes history with Liverpool / Robbie J Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
“I can’t see Liverpool doing it again because it’s an incredible achievement, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they do it again because they’ve done it two years in a row.”
The problem for Liverpool is that they are not the only side to have proven themselves capable of reaching such heights. City won the 2017/18 title with 100 points and retained it with 98.
Finishing on a relatively low 81 points last season was a real shock for City and manager Pep Guardiola, who had only the Carabao Cup to show for another bitterly disappointing year. However, after splashing the cash on Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres already this window, City are eyeing a return.
“I think it will hurt Guardiola, how far behind they were,” explains Carragher. “Not just losing the league but not competing.
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Stirring the pot with @SkySportsPL pundits ahead of Premier League return. [email protected] | @Carra23 | @MicahRichards | #TheresEverythingToPlayFor pic.twitter.com/GLntNxdesa
— 90 Minutes (@90min_Football) September 9, 2020
“Guardiola’s record, wherever he’s been – Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Man City – he’s always got more than 95 points. That’s the norm for Pep Guardiola’s teams. I’d expect them to be there or thereabouts. , will be around 90. This will make it very competitive.
“It’s going to hurt him last year, because he’s not used to it at all. He’s a serial winner. He’ll definitely want to change that, and I think he will.
“City are the best team to watch, they can go and win 6-0, 7-0. They do that regularly during the season. Liverpool don’t really do that. But City, in lockdown. “Even when they looked very impressive. They can still lose games – away to Southampton, the cup semi-finals, the Champions League. They still feel they can lose games.”
Guardiola will demand more City/Visionhaus/Getty Images
Carragher knows Liverpool cannot afford to lose focus. City are clearly out for revenge, while United and Chelsea are both looking to make a statement.
For now, the Reds must set their sights on Saturday’s Premier League opener against Leeds United – a game which Carragher is well aware will be a tough test for any team on the planet. Has the ability.
“Liverpool played Norwich in the first game last year, and I think it will be a completely different game,” he says. “I think it will be very difficult for Liverpool. Norwich played into Liverpool’s hands, I’m not sure Leeds will do that. It’s very important, and I think Jurgen Klopp will hammer home, Leeds. It will be a tough game for everyone this season
4⃣ Games
3⃣ win
1⃣ Draw
1⃣5⃣ goals were scored.
Not a bad @premierleague opening day record for Jürgen Klopp? pic.twitter.com/7cIXr6ecvx
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 7, 2020
“You don’t want to be surprised on the first day of the season. We know that Bielsa’s teams will probably fall off in the second half of the season, there’s so much intensity in the first half, so if you’re playing them. The first game, you imagine. Can you tell how severe it will be?
“I see Liverpool winning by the odd goal, but I think it’s going to be one of those games where, at the end of the game, you think, ‘Thank God we came away with the three points. left’.”
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