Liverpool have seven games remaining in their season and as they close in on a Premier League title, there are several things we’d like to see before the memorable campaign concludes.
Football is a funny business, you can be closing in on an unexpected 20th league title and yet still feel the lows that come with contract uncertainty and poor results.
Arne Slot‘s side need just 11 points to be crowned champions and that is not taking Arsenal dropping more points into account, something that they have done in three of their last five.
Putting aside the when, this is what we would like to see from Liverpool and Slot to close out the season.
1. Anfield atmosphere at its best
Wear red, bring your scarves and make it loud. There are four home games left and being on the precipice of lifting the league title deserves to be celebrated at every opportunity.
2. Goals across the forward line
In the last nine matches across all competitions, Mo Salah (four), Luis Diaz (one), Federico Chiesa (one), Darwin Nunez (one), Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota have combined for only seven goals.
Salah continues to shoulder the load and we want to see more find their form.
3. For Slot to remember Chiesa exists
The Italian has started only three games this season despite others being off form, and we want Slot to give him more opportunities and even a first start in the league.
He has shown the application and willingness, that deserves to be rewarded.
4. To play like champions
Fulham was an example of what not to do, with one calamitous error after the other. It’s time for Liverpool to show off their credentials and ensure the run-in is emphatic, not a stumble to the line.
In keeping with the above, with three defeats in the last four in all competitions, we would prefer to put defeats behind us.
West Ham (H), Leicester (A), Tottenham (H), Chelsea (A), Arsenal (H), Brighton (A) and Crystal Palace (H) remain on the fixture list – it is more than manageable.
Like Chiesa, Endo has yet to be named in a starting lineup in the Premier League this season.
He’s seen his role diminish under Slot, but with fatigue and complacency creeping in for others, he deserves a chance.
This one is self explanatory, you don’t want any player missing out on the end of the campaign due to a fitness issue. Currently, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez are sidelined, let’s not add to that list.
Slot could help by mixing his side up more. We’ve made that quite clear already though, haven’t we?
8. For departures (and contracts) to be confirmed before the final game
We’ve seen it before when we were not able to give the likes of Sadio Mane, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson the farewell they deserved, let’s avoid that again this time.
If and where possible, the hope will be that we can say a proper farewell at Anfield amid the celebrations. The list could include long-term servants Caoimhin Kelleher and Gomez.
There will be debate as to what reception Alexander-Arnold could receive, but being armed with the information ahead of time is all we ask.
This will all hinge on whether he can return from a lengthy layoff with a hamstring injury, but there is nothing more we would like to see than Gomez celebrating a goal.
He has never found the net in his professional career, and at Liverpool that stretches over 241 games! With doubts over his future, this has to happen!
Need we say anymore? They head to Anfield on May 11, with only two more matches to play following their visit. The Reds have 12 points to play for before then…
Wonder if anyone will pull a Bernardo Silva?
