It’s now official. Liverpool had inched towards their 20th top-flight title over the last few weeks and when the final whistle sounded to confirm their emphatic 5-1 win over Tottenham and with it, a finish at the top of the table, all of the emotion that had been bubbling beneath the surface erupted inside Anfield as well as just outside the grounds.
Not in 35 years has the joy been this profound throughout or after a Liverpool league fixture. When Liverpool won their first league title in 30 years five years ago, the COVID pandemic cruelly robbed supporters of the opportunity to celebrate the long awaited moment as one.
On Sunday, however, as soon as Alexis Mac Allister’s effort smashed the back of the Tottenham net to put the Reds 2-1 up, the celebrations in the stadium, just outside it, and in bars and living rooms all throughout the globe were well and truly underway.
Chants of “we’re gonna win the league” rang out from every corner of Anfield.
At one point in the second half, so many red balloons, as well as one silver one in the shape of the Premier League trophy, had ended up on the pitch that match official Thomas Bramall had to temporarily pause the match.
In the moments just after the final whistle, the home supporters broke into renditions of Dua Lipa’s “One Kiss,” and Gala’s “Freed From Desire” (my favorite, for what it’s worth).
And of course, Liverpool’s squad and entire coaching staff lined up in front of the Kop to sing along to “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
It would be more than understandable if Liverpool’s players still show signs of a hangover when they kick off against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
They have completed their most important objective of the campaign. Any additional points between now and Matchweek 38 are gravy.
However, even with the title secured and all pressure now lifted, the next four weeks still present a few opportunities worth seizing for the Redmen.
Without getting too greedy, here are three things I would like to see before the curtains close on what has been a special campaign:
1. More minutes for Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, and Federico Chiesa
One of the few criticisms of Arne Slot from supporters and pundits was that he did not rotate his squad enough.
This was particularly evident and indeed costly between March 8th and March 16th when Liverpool overcame Southampton at home, but were defeated against PSG in the Champions League and then again against Newcastle in the League Cup final.
Throughout all three of these fixtures, it was clear that fatigue had begun to take a toll on their squad as they struggled to reach first gear.
The likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai have enjoyed terrific campaigns, but Slot’s decision to start them against a Southampton side bottom of the table proved a mistake days later when they just couldn’t set the tempo in the middle of the park against PSG and Newcastle.
Starting on the bench, meanwhile, were midfielders Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo. Both enjoyed strong campaigns in 2023/2024 and surely would have proven reliable enough to get the job done had Slot opted to rest the likes of Szoboszlai or Gravenberch, who has played nearly three times as many minutes this season as he did the last.
Both Elliott and Endo have been effective off the bench, but if they can close out the season strongly from starting roles over the next few matches, that will hopefully convince the Dutchman to trust them more fully when it’s clear that his first string players require rest.
The same can be said of Federico Chiesa. The Italian winger will likely move on after he struggled to break into the first team, playing only 33 minutes to date in the league, but his talent is undeniable.
Liverpool will need a dependable alternative to Mohamed Salah on the right wing when the Egyptian requires rest and perhaps the solution is already in their squad.
At his best, the former Juventus man excels at beating defenders and unlocking defenses and Slot has nothing to lose at this point by offering him one last run to demonstrate that Liverpool can benefit from those qualities.
2-A proper send off for Trent Alexander-Arnold
The bombshell report that Trent Alexander-Arnold was near an agreement to join Real Madrid once his contract expires in June was understandably difficult for Liverpool supporters to digest.
That Alexander-Arnold has made immense contributions to Liverpool’s success over the years as a local lad from the club’s academy had earned him a particularly special place in the hearts of many local supporters.
However, with the academy product and the club he’s been a part of since the age of six still unable to reach an agreement to prolong his Liverpool story, likelihood of his exit next month grows stronger by the day.
Alexander-Arnold will have to accept that if he does depart, he will not receive the level of adoration as he does at Liverpool from any other fanbase.
We also know that he believes that any achievement at Liverpool will “mean more” than it would at most other clubs because those were in fact his exact words.
The raw emotion from the Liverpool supporters last Sunday will surely remind him that for all of the allure of Madrid, whatever success he obtains there simply won’t carry the same weight.
However, as heartbreaking as the right-back’s decision may be for the Liverpool faithful, they must respect it.
Having won every possible trophy with the Reds, it’s entirely understandable that at age 26, he would seek another challenge with a different club.
His passionate celebration of his winner at Leicester to move Liverpool within three points of the title made clear how much the club means to him even with a potential move to Madrid on the horizon.
That, as much as all he has given and won with Liverpool, ought to be more than enough to ensure that the immense gratitude the club faithful express towards this group of players over the next four weeks extends to their right back as well.
3-A strong showing against Arsenal
The result against Arsenal won’t alter how Liverpool supporters look back on this season one bit, but a victory over their closest competitors would put one last stamp on the Reds’ superiority this campaign.
Liverpool are also due a victory over the Gunners having failed to claim one in their previous four Premier League meetings.
If that’s not reason enough, the prospect of receiving a guard of honor from their nearest challengers before then defeating them is surely just too good to turn down.