One fact that seems to have been lost in the midst of the chaos in today's world is that regardless of the fate of this season's Premier League title, Liverpool remain freakishly good at football.
Sure, there was that pretty dramatic dip in form that yielded an unthinkable run of four defeats in five games, but in the context of a season that saw them open up a 25 point lead over Manchester City at the top (with 10 games remaining), you can let it slide.
Whatever happens to the current season, even if the unlikely eventuality of a voided campaign arises, Liverpool will go into 2020/21 as the overwhelming favourites to reassert their dominance and claim (or reclaim) the trophy.
Dimitar Berbatov: “People are suggesting to give the title to Liverpool, and honestly they deserve it the way they had been playing, nobody was going to catch them.
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) April 4, 2020
'With the way they play their games, the football they produced and how far they are in front, fully deserved.”
And that's an assertion backed by former chief executive Ian Ayre, who spoke to the Mirror from Nashville, where he currently oversees operations at new MLS side Nashville SC.
“Look at Istanbul, the League Cup final of 2012, Barcelona last year. It’s the Liverpool way, to some degree.
“They’ll either get it sorted and win it this year or they won’t, but, whatever happens, they’ll bounce back.
“If it’s not this year, then it will be next year. Jurgen and everybody would say, ‘Bring it on’, if they have to wait.
“When FSG bought Liverpool, one of the things John Henry said, right at the start, was that he wanted to build this team to win and to keep winning. He’s a very smart guy, I’ve got huge respect for him and what he says is completely right.
“Look at last year, we got so close to the title and won the Champions League. Then we’ve gone on to win the Super Cup and the World Club Championship and the club are on course to win the league. You don’t achieve that without having a solid team and a really solid foundation.
“That doesn’t go away overnight. This Liverpool team is very young in comparison to a lot of squads and they won’t have many players rotating out through age or contracts this summer.
“Whether they’re rightly allowed to win the league this year, what will be will be. But I’ve no doubt that, if it doesn’t happen this season, it will happen next season.”
Ayre left Anfield in 2017, having overseen the appointment of Jurgen Klopp and the current regime, but the sentiment expressed here is similar to the one emanating from those now at the heart of the operation.
Forward Sadio Mané, at least, is confident of going again whatever happens.
Sadio Mane unsure about Liverpool's title hopes 路♂️ pic.twitter.com/Of2q9jJwPs
— Stadium Astro (@stadiumastro) April 10, 2020
"I want to win the games and I want to get the trophy, it’s what I would love. But with this situation, whatever happens I will understand," he told Stadium Astro.
"It has been difficult for Liverpool, but it has been more difficult for many millions of people around the world.Some people have lost family members and that is the more complicated situation.
"But for myself, it’s my dream and I want to win it this year. If that’s not the case, I will accept, it’s part of life. Hopefully we will win it next year."
Source : 90min