It seems strange to think that we are only a few short weeks away from the commencement of the 2020/21 English football season, given that the previous campaign seemed to stretch on for ages as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. But it was recently announced that the domestic season’s annual curtain raiser, the Community Shield, will take place on Saturday 29th August featuring last season’s Premier League winners Liverpool and FA Cup winners Arsenal.
That means it’s time to get excited once again for the return of the English top flight, and those betting on the football season 2020/21 have already been getting their predictions in. The question on everyone’s lips is whether Liverpool have what it takes to successfully defend their title.
With Liverpool having already been dumped out of the Champions League pre-lockdown by Atlético Madrid, the Reds have had the chance to enjoy some much needed rest, while the club’s hierarchy have had the opportunity to assess where the team can improve and what transfers need to be made.
That said, in terms of incoming signings, it’s been relatively quiet for Liverpool. It’s been widely known that the club are unwilling to spend big this summer, due to the fact that the impact of coronavirus and the lack of matchday income have hit the Anfield coffers hard. This was evidenced by the fact that Liverpool gave up their pursuit of German striker Timo Werner, deciding that the price tag was too high, leaving Werner to join Chelsea instead.
Liverpool’s only acquisition so far has been Kostas Tsimikas, a Greek left-back signed from Olympiacos to provide cover for Andy Robertson. An £11.75m outlay hardly represents lavish spending, with the club walking away from a deal for Norwich City left-back Jamal Lewis after feeling that the Canaries’ £20m asking price was simply too high.
The concern among Liverpool supporters is that such a parsimonious outlook may harm the team’s chances of defending their Premier League crown. While the Reds won the league at a canter last season, finishing 18 points clear of nearest challengers Manchester City, Pep Guardiola has already begun strengthening his side for the new season, and it’s expected that City will begin to close the gap.
But perhaps such fears are unfounded when you consider the effect coach Jürgen Klopp has had on Liverpool’s squad, and his ability to improve players continually and get the best out of the resources available to him. The front three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah are still at the peak of their powers, while midfielders Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Georginio Wijnaldum also show no signs of slowing down. Klopp will also be hoping that Naby Keita has a much bigger role to play in the team next season. After struggling with injuries during his time at Anfield so far, the Guinean midfielder could have a big season ahead of him.
Reports have linked Liverpool with Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara, but at 29 years old the Spaniard does not match Klopp’s usual preference for signing young players with high potential value. Liverpool’s transfer activity is likely to surround more modest targets, such as Watford forward Ismaila Sarr, or Brighton centre-half Ben White, who impressed so much for Leeds United in their promotion-winning campaign.
If Klopp has proved anything at his time at Anfield, it’s that you don’t have to break the bank time and time again to create a title-winning squad. While he has spent big at times, namely on centre-back Virgil Van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson, there have been plenty of bargains in there as well. While some Liverpool fans may be fearing the worst in light of the club’s thriftiness, you can bet that Klopp will have his team well formed to mount their title defence come the start of the 2020/21 season.
