Key events
Sachin Nakrani guides us through the campaign.
Fascinating to read this by Louise Taylor, after Manchester United won their 19th league title in 2011 to surpass Liverpool.
The weaponry at his own disposal has been utilised with extreme care and cleverness this season – in the hands of lesser managers it is unlikely that a comparitively non‑vintage United squad would have finished ahead of Chelsea and Arsenal – but even Ferguson’s genius cannot disguise the reality that several key components need replacing. Urgently.
They did win the league again in 2013, but that rebuild never really clicked together.
More correspondence dropping in. Michael Batson writes: “Watched the match at home in Phnom Penh where kick-off was 10:30pm local time. The feed at the sports bar a few doors down was ahead of ours so I heard the goals go in slightly ahead of seeing them. A great night.”
James Woodfinden writes: “I have to completely agree with Joel, 2020 was an incredible achievement and it definitely made me well up a bit, but to have that euphoric celebration at the final whistle made me think of my late Dad who ALWAYS wanted me to like football. Sadly I waited until my early teens during the Roy Hodgson era to immerse myself fully in football! That one was for you, Dad!”
The platform was, of course, set by Jürgen Klopp. Arne Slot made note of that through the medium of song.
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This is a fun thought from Robert Winiker: “Would it be an idea to stage a joint celebration with the title win five years ago, which was cancelled due to the pandemic? With Jürgen Klopp and the players included?”
Jordan Henderson can sort the van out. Gini, Bobby, Sadio, get in.
Talking points from Anfield and elsewhere:
A call to Liverpool supporters: share your thoughts on the title win over here.
Joel writes in: “This win means so much to Liverpool fans – mostly for being able to celebrate with each other. I grew up with my uncle Nick telling me tales of the glory years, yearning for them again. He’s sadly no longer with us, but to finally see the scenes he spoke of has warmed my heart – this one really does mean more.”
Liverpool are level with Manchester United on league title wins for the first time since 2011. Here’s what Gary Neville had to say yesterday before they sealed it:
This should cause tremors at Old Trafford. It’s painful. Being honest with you, I don’t want to be here today. But you have to be here because the reality of it is you’ve got to be gracious when you’re a Manchester United player, when you’re a Manchester United fan, when you’re a Liverpool player or Liverpool fan and congratulate the other team whether it’s City, Liverpool, Arsenal, United. Whoever wins the league you’ve got to be gracious and you’ve got to say what an achievement because it’s bloody hard to win it.
But it’s painful. It’s been painful for the last 10 years because Liverpool and Manchester City have been the most dominant teams.
All the great Liverpool managers and players and all the great Manchester United managers and players, the two most successful clubs in the country, would always say your bread and butter is the league title. And Manchester United had won more than Liverpool up until two hours, three hours’ time. And that’s where you could keep these sorts of arguments alive around who’s the most successful club. The minute that Liverpool go level with Manchester United on league titles, because they’ve won more European Cups, that debate is over for a period.
Here’s that selfie Mo Salah took after scoring against Spurs, his 28th league goal of the season.
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“The club did everything they felt they possibly could to get a deal but it wasn’t to be.”
That’s Brendan Rodgers in January 2014, the then Liverpool manager disappointed because he couldn’t get his man: Mo Salah had gone to Stamford Bridge.
It’s a great what-if. If Salah joins then, does he help Liverpool get over the line that season? Or did he need that stumbling period at Chelsea, followed by the resurgence in Italy? Anywho, it’s worked out pretty nicely.
There’s plenty to read on Liverpool’s season, their first under Arne Slot. He’s slotted in (allow it) seamlessly.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the morning after. This victory parade is going to be a long one – we’ve still got a month of the Premier League season to go, with Crystal Palace visiting Anfield on 25 May. Plenty of time if you want to get yourself over to Liverpool for a knees-up.
Keep me company as the reaction continues, this being a very different title win to the one five years ago in the pandemic; this time, Liverpool had their fans with them, some genuine soul to go with history.
