Liverpool’s opening game of the Premier League is almost upon us, so what better way to get in the mood than read our writers’ Reds predictions for 2019/20!
After a relatively quiet summer spent basking in European glory, Jurgen Klopp‘s side are ready to embark on another campaign.
Liverpool missed out on the league title in agonising fashion in 2018/19, but they look primed to push Man City all the way again.
Ahead of what is hopefully another memorable season, we asked This Is Anfield’s writers for their predictions for the Reds over the next nine months.
Who do you agree with?
Matt Ladson
Predicted finish: 2nd
Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah
Player of the Year: Roberto Firmino
Best New Signing: Err… Alex ‘new signing’ Oxlade-Chamberlain?
Flop of the Season: Adam Lallana
Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino
This season I’d be happy with… the title. Or at least another good go at it. A domestic cup would be nice either way.
Jack Lusby
Predicted finish: 2nd
Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah
Player of the Year: Fabinho
Best New Signing: Err, Harvey Elliott
Flop of the Season: Not sure this is fair with the current squad, but I’m not convinced with Divock Origi as primary stand-in for the attack.
Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino
This season I’d be happy with… the same as last season, but going one better in the league. Of course!
Henry Jackson
Predicted finish: 2nd
Top Goalscorer: Mo Salah
Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk
Best New Signing: Harvey Elliott
Flop of the Season: Divock Origi. I love him for what he did last season, but he still isn’t good enough.
Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino
This season I’d be happy with… another big push for the Premier League title and the Champions League—if Liverpool don’t win either, then a domestic cup please.
Karl Matchett
Predicted finish: 2nd
Top Goalscorer: Salah. 30+ goals in all competitions.
Player of the Year: Fabinho
Best New Signing: Harvey Elliott
Flop of the Season: Adam Lallana as a No. 6.
Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino
This season I’d be happy with… more silverware. We’ve got six to go for, so if we land two (one major, one minor) I’d take that as a very good year.
If the major one isn’t the Premier League, though, we’d need to still be within four or five points to count that as good.
I’d really like us to win the FA Cup—we should have more of those.
Joanna Durkan
Predicted finish: 2nd—I’m saying this as I do not want to tempt fate…
Top Goalscorer: Mo Salah
Player of the Year: Sadio Mane
Best New Signing: Unfortunately, there are only three to choose from but it’d have to be Harvey Elliott.
The kid looks like he is not short on confidence and has some real potential. He could get a chance early in cup competitions.
Flop of the Season: Adam Lallana. I don’t see him staying fit.
Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson; Salah, Mane, Firmino
This season I’d be happy with… another Premier League title challenge (albeit with a better ending this time round). It has to be a priority this season.
I think we will go far in Europe once more, but overall, at least one piece of silverware needs to be added to the cabinet.
Chris Williams
Predicted finish: 2nd
Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah
Player of the Year: Naby Keita
Best New Signing: Harvey Elliott
Flop of the Season: Wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Keita, Henderson; Salah, Mane, Firmino
This season I’d be happy with… another good showing in the league—I think Man City will just pip us to the title again.
I worry about our fixture congestion with this competition in Qatar, but we’ll be Club World Cup champions, so another badge for the shirt to make us unbearable.
The FA Cup or the League Cup would be nice for the day out at Wembley, but another appearance in the Champions League final wouldn’t be a realistic goal for me.
James Nalton
Predicted finish: 2nd
Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah
Player of the Year: Roberto Firmino
Best New Signing: Alexander Mark David Oxlade-like-a-new-signing-Chamberlain
Flop of the Season: None really. Maybe Divock Origi if he’s relied upon too much. I hope he can deliver, but I’m not sure he can on a regular basis.
Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino
This season I’d be happy with… title race, FA Cup win, another European adventure and a Club World Cup win.
It would also be great if this experiment of not signing players for the first team works and some academy players can prove their worth to the senior squad.
At the moment it seems like a risk, though.
Ben Twelves
Predicted finish: 2nd
Top Goalscorer: Mohamed Salah
Player of the Year: Fabinho
Best New Signing: I don’t think we’ll see much of the new youngsters, so for that reason I’ll follow Klopp’s line and say Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
He will be ‘like a new signing’ with what he will bring to midfield once he is up and running.
Flop of the Season: *Puts tin hat on* Divock Origi. Undoubtedly a Liverpool legend but can see him underwhelming once the hype wears off.
Best XI: Alisson; Trent, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Keita, Wijnaldum; Salah, Mane, Firmino
This season I’d be happy with… serious challenges again to win the title and to retain the Champions League.
Would really like to win the Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup, too.
* Click here to see how right or wrong we predicted things a year ago!
