Does Liverpool have what it takes to win the league?

The celebrations have dwindled, and the dust has settled following another late comeback for the Merseyside Reds’ in their away outing at Selhurst Park. An exciting 2-1 finish, which saw Harvey Elliott subdue Crystal Palace in the 91st minute, was enough to secure Liverpool’s position as confirmed league leaders by one point.  

Despite their impressive beginning to the season, questions have been asked of the Reds’ ability to secure the title, especially when faced with the prospect of a rejuvenated Manchester City in the New Year. Speaking to TNT Sports, Jürgen Klopp stated: "Let's see where it goes to - we all need luck, especially now in this busy period that the players can go through that, and we can use them.  

"You have to be ready for the moment when the decisions will be made because at the moment, we're only prepared [for] the finishing and that's far off yet, so we have a lot of work to do before we can talk about other things." 

Utilising a rebuilt midfield, Liverpool’s added squad depth may just be what is needed to take them the needed extra mile. Summer inclusions such as Dominick Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo and Alexis MacAllister have already proven to be crucial elements to the title contending side. However, a lack of defensive depth may prove damning, particularly following Joel Matip’s injury sustained against Fulham, which is likely to see the Cameroonian out for the remainder of the season. Coupled with the volatility of Liverpool’s current line of defence, the urgency for the arrival of further defensive reinforcements in January is growing.  

On a more positive note, for Liverpool fans, statistics have only helped to fairly feed the hopes of a title win for the Reds this season. Winning 18 points from losing positions this year, proof of the “Mentality Monsters” revival lies within the results. Already 11 points better off than this stage last season, Liverpool are currently in the best league position since September 2021.  

Shall Jurgen Klopp’s rebuilt Reds manage to maintain their current run of form into the new year, the question of whether Liverpool is a title contending side will be swiftly negated, and rightly so.  

Written by Oisin O'Sullivan