Liverpool were left with a bitter taste going into the break after taking just one point from their last two matches, but there were still plenty of reasons to be happy about their comeback.
The Red Devils raced to five straight wins after an opening day draw at Stamford Bridge, but were stopped by a heartbreaking defeat to Tottenham and a disappointing draw at Brighton.
Having another week to reflect on such disappointments never helps, but Jurgen Klopp’s side appear capable of exceeding the form many expect of them this summer.
There have been concerns about possible shortages in certain areas of the mine and these could still be ratified as the campaign progresses.
However, this team showed a resilience that made us fall in love with them, and a tenacity that saw them take on the world under this manager not too long ago.
We look at all the positives from the Red Devils’ start to the 2023/24 campaign in the context of the challenges they have faced.
Within striking distance
The Red Devils are in excellent form despite losing points before the break and having a more difficult start on paper than those around them.
Championship leaders Tottenham are the team everyone wants to talk about right now, having taken 20 points from a possible 24 without any European football to distract them.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are seething at the back and perhaps that’s how the manager likes them at this stage of proceedings.
Ange Postecoglou’s side only visited one of the top eight teams last season, while the Red Devils visited three teams compared to a list that of course does not include Chelsea.
Although it looks like they’re having a lot of fun at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, I don’t believe for a second that a single right-thinking Liverpool fan will change our current situation I’m for them.
We had five strikers who could arguably slot straight into any other top XI and they all took over.
The enthusiasm that comes with such fierce competition can only mean goals and they are certainly not short of goals come the 2023/24 season.
Familiar rivals
The required measuring rod remains above M62 for one hour.
Liverpool have faced Man City many times and know all the mental and physical effort they have to put in.
A common school of thought at the start of every season, in our view, is that if you finish above Pep Guardiola’s team, you’re almost guaranteed to win the title.
The standings don’t necessarily reflect that given the current situation, but there were no Liverpool fans cheering on City at the Emirates before the break, let’s put it that way.
As of now, we find ourselves just one point behind the three-time winners, who have also had a relatively soft start in the grand scheme of things.
Arsenal have their first away trip to a team that finished in the top 12 last season and they have fallen into that particular hurdle, the first two days of the away league against newly promoted opponents.
Winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive league title won’t be easy and they will have bigger targets than usual after a historic 2022/23 season, they are by no means invincible.
The Reds must continue to hold off the Citizens until Christmas, when we will have a much clearer idea of ​​our actual standards.
For now, we must admit that the team is in better shape than many are willing to give it credit for, and that last season may have simply been an inevitable blip in the sporting cycle.
The best is yet to come
Outside the Premier League, things couldn’t have started better.
The Europa League offers managers the ideal opportunity to build a midweek team capable of creating rhythm and ensuring minutes are shared fairly across the dressing room.
Liverpool have made a perfect start to their first Europa League group stage since 2015 and the team progresses to the third round of the League Cup against Leicester in similar form
A brutal 63-game 2021/22 season has made the intensity of the next 12 months almost inevitable and this season’s fixture list gives the manager the luxury of keeping all His players are always fresh.
The aim will be to achieve this while succeeding on all fronts and we have shown signs that we have the depth to achieve this.
A win in Group E in Europe would help the Red Devils avoid an additional playoff round and progress straight into the knockout round, at which point Liverpool would start to consider themselves one of the favorites to progress.
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Defeats are inevitable at the top level and that’s exactly where we want them to be, but the 2023/24 season promises to be an exciting adventure, as always under this manager .
He asked us to move from skeptics to believers in 2015 and we have every reason to continue to believe in this team until May.
