Liverpool FC has won its first Premier League title and first English title in 30 years after Chelsea stopped City in a 2-1 win on Thursday confirms the Reds as champions.
Jurgen Klopp’s side, who demolished Crystal Palace 4-0 on Wednesday night, needed one victory to seal the league but City’s failure to win means they cannot be catch up Liverpool any more, handing the title the Reds.
It is Liverpool’s 19th top-flight title and their first since 1989-90.
Liverpool have enjoyed a stunning season that has seen them beaten just once in the league so far, a shocking 3-0 loss at struggling Watford in February. Their feat saw them open an unassailable 23-point lead over Pep Guardiola’s side in second.
Jurgen Klopp who was clearly emotional says: “I have no words, it’s unbelievable. It’s much more than I ever thought would be possible. Becoming champion with this club is absolutely incredible.
“I haven’t waited 30 years – I have been here for four and a half years – but it is quite an achievement, especially with the three-month break because nobody knew if we could go on.
“I know it is difficult for people in this moment but we could not hold back. We will enjoy this with our supporters when we can.”
Related: Chelsea defeats Manchester City to crown Liverpool Premier League champions
Liverpool player stats – 2019/20 season
| Most goals | Mo Salah | 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Most apps | Trent Alexander-Arnold | 31 |
| Most assists | Trent Alexander-Arnold | 12 |
| Most shots | Mo Salah | 103 |
| Most passes | Virgil van Dijk | 2,702 |
| Most tackles | Jordan Henderson | 50 |
Due to the global pandemic disrupting life in England, the Premier League was suspended for three months. Liverpool fans around the world endured a nervous wait to see how the season would end, with some early suggestions it might have been declared null and void, thus wiping their remarkable efforts from the record books.
The Premier League’s return this month enabled them to cap their stunning success.
However, the measures put in place in response to the virus would not allow Liverpool to celebrate their long-awaited success with their fans immediately, at least not in the traditional sense.
As with Wednesday’s impressive 4-0 win over Crystal Palace, when they next play at Anfield – against Aston Villa on Sunday, 5 July, and for their two other remaining home games – it will be behind closed doors.
It is also unlikely they will be able to take part in any of the usual public events in Liverpool, such as an open-top bus parade around the city.
By a quirk of fate, though, the next time they take to the field will be at the side they have beaten to this season’s title and who pipped them so narrowly last campaign, Manchester City.
Following their defeat at Chelsea, City boss Pep Guardiola congratulated Liverpool on their title success.
Liverpool team stats – 2019/20 season vs the previous 29 seasons
| 2019-20 | Average (1990-91 to 2018-19) | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | Wins | 19.57 |
| 2 | Draws | 9.72 |
| 1 | Losses | 9.14 |
| 70 | Goals scored | 65.45 |
| 21 | Goals conceded | 38.83 |
| 86 | Points | 68.57 |
| 90.32 | Win % | 50.81 |
Records Liverpool could still break
- Most wins – 32 (Manchester City, 2017/18 and 2018/19) Manchester City ripped up the record books when Pep Guardiola lifted his first Premier League title in 2018, with the kind of dominating season the league had never seen before. Despite City winning all but six games across the entire campaign, and repeating that feat last season, Liverpool are well on course to not only beat City’s record haul but potentially better it. Liverpool still have to travel to City, and could break Guardiola’s wins record at Arsenal and end up with a mammoth 35 wins by the end of the season. They can still afford to drop points in two more games before the end of the season and overtake City.
- Most points – 100 (Manchester City, 2017/18)Gabriel Jesus’ last-minute winner for Manchester City at Southampton on the last day of the season in 2017/18 did not mean much in a title race that was long since over but Guardiola’s celebrations on the touchline at St Mary’s told their own story about how significant reaching the target of a three-figure points tally was for the manager.
City almost equalled the record they set themselves last season. At present, Liverpool could smash past 100 points against Arsenal.
Team Season Points Manchester City 2017/18 100 Manchester City 2018/19 98 Liverpool 2018/19 97 Chelsea 2004/05 95 Chelsea 2016/17 93 Manchester United 1999/00 91 - Most home wins – 18 (Chelsea, 2005/06; Manchester United, 2010/11; Manchester City, 2011/12 and 2018/19)There is no margin for error if Liverpool are to break the home record too. No team has ever won every home game in a season. That said, there are only three more games to go for Klopp’s side to become the first team to ever manage the feat.Liverpool have not lost a league game on home soil since Crystal Palace beat them in April 2017, and have since won 46 and drawn 10 across what’s now reached three unbeaten years – albeit including three months of coronavirus-induced downtime.
- Biggest title-winning margin – 19 points (Manchester City, 2017/18)Liverpool are currently 23 points clear at the top and can afford to drop two more than City by the end of the season – but could still least avoiding defeat at the Etihad Stadium on July 2, live on Sky Sports, which would reduce their lead to 20.
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