The reason why Liverpool might not retain the title

Liverpool are at risk.

Increasing COVID-19 cases in the Liverpool squad and international duty could derail Liverpool’s chance to retain the title.

Despite the 7-2 drubbing, Liverpool have started the season strong. They have managed still to have at least a two-point advantage on all their traditional rivals.

As Klopp mentioned, there are a few things that are more significant than football. The global Coronavirus pandemic has not gone away.

In fact it is far from ending. Despite of that players are continually put at risk by being made to play meaningless international fixtures presumably for marketing reasons. This has left football fans baffled.

Liverpool have three players who have tested positive. Sadio Mane, Thiago Alcantara and Xherdan Shaqiri are all currently observing self-isolation. Last month Kostas Tsimikas had tested positive after being away on international duty with Greece.

If more players come back from international duty and test positive, Liverpool will be at risk of spreading the virus within the club and also amongst friends and family. Games that they will have to play might either have to be postponed, cancelled or forfeited! We have seen something like that happen in the Carabao Cup and in the Italian Serie A already.

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Imagine how sensible it would be if the inconsequential round of fixtures was cancelled and there was a mandatory period of rest and self-isolation for all playing and non-playing staff?

Wouldn’t that have made more sense? And those breaching the isolation could be given match bans and/or punished by their respective clubs.

Someone needs to answer the question, why during a global pandemic, where there is no cure, are international friendlies being arranged?

Players are put at even greater risk when they are travelling across Europe and to their home countries as far off as Brazil. The fact of the matter is that the number of COVID-19 cases within the footballing fraternity is increasing on a daily basis.

Those players that are travelling to countries where the cases are still on the rise, will they have to face an additional quarantine when they return to the UK? Will they be eligible to play if they test negative right away?

A few clubs have already set an example by putting their players first. Juventus and Red Bull Salzburg have both enforced a “team quarantine” and have refused permissions to represent their respective national teams in this two week period.

As a fan, one thing that comes to mind is that the money in the sport has seen clubs risk the lives of their players………risking those very players on whose account the clubs earn pots of money. We all need to take a step back and ask ourselves why are we waiting for a tragedy to strike and not taking precaution when we can.

Do you think Liverpool will win the title again?