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LONDON. — Chelsea aren’t ready, Arsenal are in danger of another “over by Easter” campaign, Manchester City are showing signs they are finding it tough at the top and Manchester United are out of it all together. Meanwhile, fresh from drubbing Arsenal 5-1, Liverpool have suddenly gone from top-four contenders to dark horses for the Barclays Premier League title.
And, on Wednesday night, they showed the stuff that champions are made of as they came back twice to beat a feisty Fulham 3-2 at Craven Cottage with skipper Stevie G scoring a dramatic winner.
Coach Brendan Rodgers is understandably keen to play down his team’s chances winning the championship for the first time since 1990.
Sportsmail presents 10 reasons why they just might…
1. They’ve done it before. In the 1985-86 season Kenny Dalglish’s team trailed league leaders Everton by five points with 13 games to go.
That gap stretched to eight points with 12 games to go after they were beaten by their great rivals 2-0 at Anfield. But 11 wins and one draw later Liverpool were crowned champions courtesy of a two-point advantage over Howard Kendall’s team.
2. They have the second best home record in the Premier League. Manchester City and Chelsea have still got to visit Anfield . . . and as Jose Mourinho keeps telling us his side won’t win the title this year. Beat both of those and Liverpool are right in the hunt.
3. They might not have beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford for five years, when Sir Alex Ferguson was still getting under Rafa Benitez’s skin but who would bet against them piling more misery on David Moyes next month by doing the double over their bitter rivals? After all, in all competitions, West Brom, Everton, Newcastle and Tottenham already have…did I forget to mention Swansea in the FA Cup?
4. After being stuffed 5-1 by Liverpool, Arsenal are in serious danger of blowing up once more and have gone from title contenders in the eyes of many to prime candidates to finish fourth in the eyes of many more. By this time next month, the Gunners could quite conceivably have lost to Manchester United in the league, Liverpool in the FA Cup and Bayern Munich in the Champions League. That will crush confidence at the Emirates by the time they face Sunderland, when Liverpool could be above them in the table.
5. There are no gruelling Europa League trips to the Ukraine or any other long-haul European opponents to distract Liverpool from the prize of a potential domestic double.
6. No one has scored more goals in the Premier League than either Luis Suarez or Daniel Sturridge.
The pair have bagged 39 goals between, 23 for Suarez and 16 for Sturridge, who added another against Fulham – the leakiest defence in the division – at Craven Cottage.
7. Sir Alex Ferguson may not rate Steven Gerrard as a ‘top, top player’ but he is a minority of one. The Liverpool skipper has been reborn in the deeper midfield role handed to him by Rodgers.
The lung busting, box-to-box runs may be few and far between but his range of passing is manna for heaven for Suarez and Sturridge and his delivery from set pieces is another highly dangerous weapon.
His exquisite pass, to set up Sturridge for the equaliser in the dramatic 3-2 win over Fulham, was the stuff that only a genius can produce and Captain Fantastic held his nerve, in the closing stages, to convert the penalty for the winner in time added on.
8. Raheem Sterling just keeps getting better and better as his brace against Arsenal proved. Left or right wing, Sterling’s speed and quick feet are a nightmare for defenders and his link-up play with Suarez is approaching the level of understanding between the Uruguayan and SAS partner Sturridge. Roy Hodgson’s plan to run the rule over Sterling as a potential replacement for Theo Walcott in his World Cup squad is testament to the 19-year-old’s rapid progression.
9. Only Arsenal have a better record against teams in the bottom half – and that might last much longer. From 14 games against teams 11th and below so far, Liverpool have won 11, drawn two and lost one — that’s 2.5 points per game. With six more fixtures of that nature to come, starting with Fulham tonight, on that form that’s a healthy return of 15 points.
10. Liverpool are kings of the set-piece in every department. Rodgers’ boys have banged in 22 goals from dead-ball situations, two more than Manchester City and eight more than Chelsea. Just the kind of additional string to their bow on top of the 41 they have got from open play to set the nerves of opposition defences jangling when the pressure reaches fever pitch over the ensuing weeks. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter