Rodgers looks to have guided his side back into contention
Every August, there are always a bunch of teams that we reckon can challenge and finish inside the top four, ensuring Champions League qualification for their next campaign.
However, normally one or two of the teams drift off and become separated, such as Manchester United and Tottenham last season, or Liverpool themselves in previous years. Even the likes of Aston Villa can be applied to this from the Premier League past.
Yet this season every side, with the possible exception of Everton, that was predicted to be up the table fighting for a top four place is now challenging (similar to the 2009-10 season), with even sides such as Southampton and West Ham joining in against all expectations, such has been the success of their seasons to date.
Now, with a 2-0 away victory at St Mary’s Stadium, one of the toughest grounds in the league, Liverpool can count themselves firmly in the top four equation.
After a truly awful start to the year, when the Reds looked out of touch in the table, in their performances and a class below in the Champions League, they have found their feet again.
The Reds have shown huge fight in the past couple of months
2015 has been momentous – Liverpool are the only side unbeaten in the Premier League and are top of the form guide, with 17 points from their last 21. The only poor result has been surrendering a two goal lead at home to Leicester City, which remains immensely frustrating!
With that victory, the Reds are now only two points adrift of fourth placed Manchester United and three points behind Arsenal in third.
Furthermore, while at Liverpool Brendan Rodgers has only suffered four league defeats after January, with three of those coming in his first season. Liverpool know how to get on a roll and create some serious momentum, only too readily shown last season.
Something similar will be required here, for Liverpool do face and have been facing a tough fixture list. After beating Tottenham and Southampton and drawing away to Everton, Manchester City at Anfield are next, while Manchester United and Arsenal are on the horizon.
Yet the Reds will fear nobody, with the majority of those teams victims of last season’s astonishing run.
In between these mammoth games, there are the likes of Burnley, Hull City and West Brom, so there are some eminently winnable games, particularly if Liverpool are wielding an even bigger wave of confidence from huge wins.
LFC fans will be hoping to see this again on Sunday morning
Nevertheless, they cannot be complacent as it’s a killer. Inconsistently is what’s likely to rob Southampton and Tottenham of the chance of Champions League football and Liverpool cannot afford to fall into the same trap if they want to overhaul Manchester United and Arsenal.
Liverpool’s squad members have shown marked signs of improvement in recent games which is massive when competing on three fronts in the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup alongside the talented squads at Arsenal and Manchester United.
Barring the penalty incident, Joe Allen was very solid in midfield and far less of a liability against Southampton, while Dejan Lovren was similar, impressing especially in the second half.
Even Mario Balotelli has been smiling and contributing lately!
But the best thing about Liverpool’s resurgence, and what is key to their top four hopes, revolves around their revitalised defence.
In the win against Southampton, Liverpool kept their fifth successive league clean sheet away from home for the first time since 1985. It’s surreal to think that a defence managed by Brendan Rodgers achieved the feat, instead of Gerard Houllier and Rafael Benitez but masses of credit should go to the Northern Irishman.
Rodgers has always been fantastic in his flexibility, tweaking formations, balances and styles of pay to suit the best players at his disposal, even if this comes at the expense of time and results.
It took the Reds some time to unleash their 4-4-2 diamond last year that took a good season into one which almost ended up in their first league title for 25 years.
The Liverpool back line has been immense in recent weeks and months
This season’s switch to three at the back after the exposure of the diamond didn’t take as long to uncover but results suffered particularly badly in-between. However, whilst a title challenge looks fanciful, this latest Rodgers system is only getting better at the moment, with Liverpool looking very tight at the back, in such a contrast to the early months of the season and indeed last season as well.
It means Liverpool are no longer as reliant on their firepower up front, knowing that they can defend a lead, as they proved against Southampton. Moreover, they’ve also seemingly picked up the Manchester United trend of being able to win when not at their best, which has been the case offensively in the last two fixtures.
With Daniel Sturridge back, Raheem Sterling and especially Philippe Coutinho fit and on form and perhaps a possible redemption for Balotelli (who should definitely now be 2nd choice penalty taker behind Gerrard), Liverpool’s attack has improved and possesses greater depth, while the defence is the best it’s been under Rodgers.
It’s all come at just the right time, with Liverpool again playing catch-up, but it’s something they do particularly well under the current manager.
With the form they’re in, you wouldn’t bet against them finishing in that coveted top four.
