Liverpool had one of their strongest seasons in the 2023/2024 season, despite never being at their strongest in the first half of the season.
Liverpool’s 2022/23 transition season may have been a season to forget, but 2023/24 has become one to remember.
Reds are considered favorites to win the League Cup and Europa League, advancing to the semi-finals against Fulham in the former and the round of 16 in the latter.
Meanwhile, a win over Burnley on Boxing Day took them top of the Premier League, at least temporarily, as the English table reached the halfway mark.
It is true that Arsenal can reclaim top spot when they play West Ham United on Thursday night. However, they are in second place ahead of 2024 and, although a point off first place, this is a significant improvement on last year’s modest fortunes.
Liverpool are in eighth place with 29 points from 19 games after being held to a 0-0 draw with Chelsea at Anfield last season. They are 10 points off the top four and 18 off leaders Arsenal.
Fast forward 11 months and the Reds are top of the league with 42 points, now the Gunners are second on the table. They would also have remained unbeaten had it not been for the most intense game against Tottenham Hotspur in September.
What makes their record even more impressive is that Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0 have been far from their best for most of the season. Historically, they have appeared in every second half of a campaign, but there is a sense that this new look is just getting started for the Reds.
They quickly left behind the difficulties of last year. However, as Andrew Beesley pointed out on social media, their return in the first half of the season is the fourth best in Premier League history.
This fact is surprising, but certainly welcome, and increases optimism among the club’s fans. Unsurprisingly, the 2019/20 title-winning campaign was their best in the first half of the season with 55 points, the only point being dropped in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
They went unbeaten a year ago in 2018/19 with 51 points at the break. Furthermore, they collected 43 points from their first 19 games of the 2016/2017 season to finish fourth, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time under Klopp.
The 42 points amassed at the halfway point equaled Rafa Benitez’s second best in 2008/09 and were the most since winning the title in 2020.
They boast more points than they had in the 2021/22 Premier League title race before the final day, but have missed out by just one point.”Liverpool, top of the league! Liverpool, Liverpool, top of the league!” The Reds had their traveling fans singing as they lost 2-0 at Burnley thanks to goals from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota.
As we enter the second half of the season, the title race remains wide open and it is impossible to say whether Klopp’s men will be able to finish the season as champions, which certainly bodes well for Liverpool 2.0. History is on their side as they look for another solid title challenge.
