It might seem a tad bit premature to be talking about the summer transfer market, but the 0-1 loss to Palace last weekend have many Liverpool fans waving the white flag when it comes to our league title charge.
Obviously there is still a chance that we manage to lift the trophy in May, but we'd have to be totally reliant on other clubs doing us a favor, while at the same time, being perfect on our end for the remainder of the campaign.
That's definitely a conversation for another day however. As we reflect on the players who brought us back into a position of strength throughout this year, there are a number of those who would be absolutely vital for the Reds if we look to kick on from what's been, largely, a good season.
Alexis Mac Allister
The midfield has been a considerable position of strength for the Reds throughout the majority of the season.
Which is a stark contrast from last season, with those in the middle of the park looking like they're missing the legs that constitutes an ideal Klopp midfield.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones, and Harvey Elliott have all been excellent and have had their moments throughout the year, but there is one man who stands above the rest, Alexis Mac Allister. He has proven to be arguably Liverpool's most important player over the last few months.
The Argentinian's combination of playmaking, football IQ, excellent positional sense, and desire make him an ideal piece for any manager coming in, hence making him virtually untouchable among the Liverpool ranks. The scary thing is, he's only gonna get better.
Virgil van Dijk
It's been quite the season for the Liverpool skipper, who seems to have regained his world-class form, leading the Reds to a bounce back season after last year's disappointment.
The Dutchman might seem like a surprise choice on this list for some, with van Dijk turning 33 this July, and his contract expiring in the summer of 2025.
But if this season highlighted anything, it's the importance of the Reds skipper, as his organization of the back-line, defensive ability, and leadership has been vital for Liverpool throughout the season.
In what's going to be a season of transition next season, with a new gaffer coming in to replace Jurgen Klopp, our Captain will be needed more than ever to make the shift as smooth as possible.
Alisson Becker
Our big Brazilian stopper has, unfortunately, missed quite a bit of time this season, but that doesn't mean that his value to the squad has dropped, far from it in fact.
As good as Caoimhin Kelleher has been deputizing for our number one, Liverpool are simply a different team with the Brazilian on the pitch, with Jurgen Klopp's high-risk, high-reward style of play being possible due to Alisson's presence in goal.
Much like van Dijk, the transition from Klopp to the next gaffer will likely be filled with some growing pains throughout, which is why we need the pillars of the club to help anchor the ship throughout this span.
Alisson has produced many a spectacular save throughout his time as Liverpool's number one, and, barring anything absurd happening this summer, I expect this to continue for the foreseeable future.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Was there ever any doubt that our Scouser in the team would be on this list? Much like Alisson, Trent has, unfortunately, missed quite a bit of time throughout this season, and there were quite a few instances where we missed our right back on the creative front, especially in the last few games.
The debate on what Alexander-Arnold's best position is continues to rage on, with Trent seeing a bit of time in midfield at certain points this season, albeit, in situations where Liverpool were chasing the game.
It's definitely going to be interesting to see where Trent will be playing next year under the new manager.
Obviously, his unorthodox role at the right-back position has served Liverpool more than well over the years, but it seems increasingly likely that a shift to midfield may be in the cards for our No. 66.
There is a reasonable expectation that Alexander-Arnold will be a Liverpool player for the entirety of his career, and there is the hope that this is the case. The 25-year-old's passing range, and vision is simply generational, and it would be a safe bet that he'll take on the armband after Virgil van Dijk.
All things considered, Alexander-Arnold continues to be the heartbeat of this Liverpool side, much like Steven Gerrard all those years ago, and that won't change after this summer.