It`s official: Liverpool are the Premier League champions, having secured their historic 20th top-flight title, thus matching Manchester United`s long-standing record.
In his very first season at the helm, Arne Slot has successfully restored Liverpool`s position at the summit of English football, following the departure of club legend Jurgen Klopp last May.
After confirming Leicester`s relegation with a 1-0 victory on Sunday, Liverpool secured their place at the top of the table by delivering a dominant 5-1 performance against Tottenham.
The match saw them initially fall behind 1-0, but they mounted a swift comeback, levelling the score just four minutes later and establishing a commanding 3-1 lead by halftime.
Jubilant scenes unfolded throughout the game, culminating in emotional celebrations among players and staff in front of the Kop after the final whistle. Mohamed Salah was spotted capturing the moment with selfies alongside the fans – a touching repeat of his post-goal celebration – as Anfield revelled in a title win celebrated publicly for the first time in 35 years, a stark contrast to the 2020 Premier League title secured behind closed doors.
The stadium was a vibrant expanse of red, witnessing profound emotional connections as players and supporters united, voices soaring in the anthem `You`ll Never Walk Alone`.
The 46-year-old Slot is now the first Dutch manager to claim a Premier League title and joins an elite group as the fifth manager to achieve this feat in their debut season, alongside Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
With four matches still left in the season, the devoted Kop fanbase can now fully indulge in their team`s triumph.
Realistically, the Reds had held a firm grip on their 20th title for several weeks.
Arsenal`s challenge faded this month following consecutive draws against Everton, Brentford, and Crystal Palace, effectively ending their Premier League title aspirations. Mikel Arteta`s side can now only amass a maximum of 12 points from their remaining fixtures, confirming their inability to catch Liverpool.
HOW REDS WON IT (Path to the Title)
- Aug 17 Ipswich (a) W 2-0
- Aug 25 Brentford (h) W 2-0
- Sep 1 Man Utd (a) W 3-0
- Sep 14 Nottm Forest (h) L 0-1
- Sep 21 Bournemouth (h) W 3-0
- Sep 28 Wolves (a) W 2-1
- Oct 5 Crystal Palace (a) W 1-0
- Oct 20 Chelsea (h) W 2-1
- Oct 27 Arsenal (a) D 2-2
- Nov 2 Brighton (h) W 2-1
- Nov 9 Aston Villa (h) W 2-0
- Nov 24 Southampton (a) W 3-2
- Dec 1 Man City (h) W 2-0
- Dec 4 Newcastle (a) D 3-3
- Dec 14 Fulham (h) D 2-2
- Dec 22 Tottenham (a) W 6-3
- Dec 26 Leicester (h) W 3-1
- Dec 29 West Ham (a) W 5-0
- Jan 5 Man Utd (h) D 2-2
- Jan 14 Nottm Forest (a) D 1-1
- Jan 18 Brentford (a) W 2-0
- Jan 25 Ipswich (h) W 4-1
- Feb 1 Bournemouth (a) W 2-0
- Feb 12 Everton (a) D 2-2
- Feb 16 Wolves (h) W 2-1
- Feb 19 Aston Villa (a) D 2-2
- Feb 23 Man City (a) W 2-0
- Feb 26 Newcastle (h) W 2-0
- Mar 8 Southampton (h) W 3-1
- Apr 2 Everton (h) W 1-0
- Apr 6 Fulham (a) L 2-3
- Apr 13 West Ham (h) W 2-1
- Apr 20 Leicester (a) W 1-0
- Apr 27 Tottenham (h) W 5-1
As it stands, the league leaders` 15-point cushion over Arsenal is the largest gap from the top to second place since Manchester City finished 18 points clear of Manchester United in the 2019-2020 season.
However, it is Liverpool equalling Manchester United`s long-held record of 20 English top-flight football titles that will likely cause more consternation for fans at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson achieved that milestone in 2013, a culmination of two decades spent relentlessly pursuing and eventually surpassing Liverpool`s dominance established in the 1980s.
This also marks the first time in five years that a Premier League champion is not Manchester City, ending Pep Guardiola`s remarkable streak of four consecutive title wins.
Indeed, Jurgen Klopp himself credited the immense challenge of competing with Guardiola`s City side over his nine years at Anfield as a significant factor in his decision to step down last season.
Mohamed Salah, who recently committed his future with a new two-year contract, has been a pivotal figure this campaign, directly contributing to 46 goals (28 goals and 18 assists), leading the league in both statistics.
Remarkably, Liverpool have lost just two Premier League matches this season: a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest in September and a 3-2 loss away to Fulham this month.
A champion team losing as few as two games in an entire season has not been seen since Manchester City achieved the same record in 2017-2018. To maintain this impressive statistic, Liverpool must remain undefeated in their final four fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton, and Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, who have been City`s primary challengers in the title race over the past couple of years, now face the prospect of finishing as runners-up for the third consecutive season. This outcome depends on them staying ahead of the pursuing pack, which includes Manchester City, Newcastle, Chelsea, and Nottingham Forest.
