A title-winning season is built on moments, all of which culminate in making a team stronger or seeing them fall apart – for Liverpool, there were enough to see them crowned champions.
Arne Slot inherited a remarkable team, albeit a fatigued one, from Jurgen Klopp last summer and his task was not an easy one to step into knowing the position was vacated by a club legend.
But Slot immediately handled the situation with poise and respect, honouring what came before him but making the necessary tweaks to make the team his, even if he had only one new signing.
The Dutchman’s arrival was met with a lot of unknowns but not even a year later he has taken us back to the promised land with promises that it is only the start.
And here’s a look at the moments that helped deliver Liverpool their 20th topflight title.
A message sent at Old Trafford
The season was only two games old before Liverpool made the short trip to Old Trafford, which has not been a consistent happy hunting ground for us over the years.
But there was no such trepidation here as the Reds ran riot with a double from Luis Diaz and a strike from Mo Salah – and if only Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s goal wasn’t ruled out!
Forget United’s almighty struggles, it was the first statement victory of the season and it started to earn Slot closer attention.
Forest deliver unexpected early blow
Slot was beside himself with the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in only his second official game at Anfield, never hiding his disdain in the weeks that followed.
He would later admit the defeat was perhaps not the “shock result” he first thought it was as Forest have since been challenging for Champions League football, but it was a valuable lesson early on.
It is only one of two defeats for Liverpool in the league this season and after it, they went on a 26-match unbeaten run – winning all but seven.
Turns out it was the necessary evil to hammer home what Slot and the Reds needed to tighten up.
Third-choice goalkeeper saves the day at Palace
The scoresheet and record books will read Diogo Jota‘s goal proving the difference in the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace, but the story in Liverpool’s goal was just as noteworthy.
With Alisson forced off late in the second half with a hamstring injury that would keep him sidelined for 11 games and Caoimhin Kelleher ill, third-choice ‘keeper Vitezslav Jaros made his debut.
An unexpected appearance that finished with one save, three recoveries and almost an assist – keeping the valuable clean sheet that secured all three points.
The value of having a deep squad!
Keeping it level at Arsenal
Liverpool twice equalised at the Emirates to save a point and deny Arsenal getting an early one over them in late October.
It was not the finest performance of the season, far from it, but to be champions you have to get a result on your bad days. Perhaps an underserved result but it kept the Gunners at arm’s length.
Turns out they were never really in the title race, but at the time of this match we were not to know they would offer little threat.
Two goals in three minutes completes Brighton comeback
This day was significant for more than just the Reds’ result, which was quite the occasion in itself after leaving it until the 72nd minute to complete the comeback after Brighton led from minute 14.
Cody Gakpo and Salah were on the scoresheet within three minutes of one another to guarantee three points on a day where Arsenal and Man City both lost.
Many will point to November 2 as the day they started to truly believe as Liverpool beat Brighton while City lost at Bournemouth and Arsenal lost at Newcastle.
From here on out, Slot’s side never relinquished their top spot – so it was right to believe!
Taking advantage…again
Darwin Nunez put us ahead against Aston Villa before Salah finished the job late on, but much like the week before this result took advantage of others dropping points.
While we didn’t exactly know City were not going to be in the title discussion at the time, their defeat to Brighton before kickoff lit a fire which Arsenal‘s draw at Chelsea only stoked.
Liverpool were heading in only one direction while others faltered.
Putting a nail in the coffin of the reigning champions
Another fixture that Liverpool have not always capitalised on, but that was certainly not the case in the first of two 2-0 wins over Man City this season.
Gakpo and Salah, were again, on the scoresheet but the scoreline could have been even more convincing if the Reds had finished off their chances in a performance that echoed Klopp days of the past.
A demolition job even if the score suggested otherwise, and it moved Liverpool nine points clear at the top of the table. A result that truly put Slot on the map.
Twice fighting back with 10 men
It was one of those days when it felt like nothing would go our way.
First, Andy Robertson was sent off to leave Liverpool playing with 10 men for over 73 minutes after a shocking challenge from Andrea Pereira had only moments prior been deemed a yellow.
Fulham twice had to be pegged back after taking the lead, with Diogo Jota scoring the all-important equaliser in the 86th minute.
It was a performance that underlined Slot’s ability to tactically react to setbacks within games and Anfield’s ability to step up when needed most.
Nunez’s late, late double at Brentford
Is there anything to say other than, Nunez, Nunez, Nunez?!
It was the moment, turning what was set to be a frustrating draw into a victory that all but wrapped up the title even though it was still mid-January.
Slot’s men had 37 shots at Brentford, the most an away team has had in a Premier League game since records began in 2003/04 – we really do love making it hard on ourselves!
Virgil makes captain’s statement against West Ham
Another match which saw Liverpool make it harder than they needed to but it was always to be that Virgil van Dijk would be the man to deliver after his earlier mix-up.
“The team stepped up, the fans stepped up for two minutes and they were just flying at that moment,” Slot later reflected in a match that summed up the Reds’ title pursuit.
Big players step up in the moments that matter and we saw that with Van Dijk, a header that helped ensure it was ours to win the next time he walked out at Anfield.
Job done!
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