At the start of the season, it seemed unlikely. For a while, it was possible, and then lately it has been inevitable. Now, Liverpool FC has been confirmed as the Premier League champion.
Arne Slot, who replaced Jurgen Klopp last summer when the German stepped down, had previously won the Dutch title with Feyenoord. And he has now added to Liverpool’s tally at the first time of asking.
Liverpool is now level on 20 league titles with Manchester United, who last won the Premier League in 2013. Klopp ended the Reds’ drought in 2020, though the celebrations were shaped by the Coronavirus pandemic.
In 2020, Liverpool won the league with an unprecedented seven games remaining. By beating Leicester, after Arsenal won at Ipswich Town, the Reds ensured that the Gunners would wrap up with four more fixtures left if they lost to Crystal Palace. But after a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium, that set up the ideal scenario: winning it by avoiding defeat at home to Spurs.
Manchester City in 2017/18 and Manchester United in 2000/01 won the title with five games left. Three teams — Manchester United twice and Arsenal once — have won it with four games remaining, with Liverpool now added to that list.
“There’s no plans to celebrate yet,” Slot said ahead of facing Leicester. “At this moment in time, not at all. I’m only thinking about trying to win a game of football against Leicester.
“Then we have two days off so I will go back to Holland on Monday. That’s what my life is. The plan is to go to Holland on Monday and Tuesday and be back here for Wednesday.”
Liverpool went into last weekend’s action with a 13-point lead with six games left to play. The Reds still have to host Spurs, Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Anfield and will also travel to Chelsea and Brighton.
While a title parade has not yet been confirmed, that is likely to take place on May 26 — the Spring bank holiday in the UK — which is the day after the final game of the season. Virgil van Dijk will lift the trophy after facing Crystal Palace on the last day of the campaign.
