The plan The end of the cycle. Burned out. Time for a rebuild. These, and many other, accusations were thrown Liverpool’s way during the mid-season implosion that derailed their defence of the Premier League title last time out. It is customary at this point to question a team’s ability to respond. But Liverpool have answered that with the 10-game unbeaten run that propelled them “from nowhere to the Champions League in five weeks”, in the words of Jürgen Klopp. “This is big,” he added after a seemingly improbable third place was sealed on the final day against Crystal Palace. He was not talking merely of Champions League revenue. In taking 26 points from a possible 30 at the end of last season– with the raw central defensive duo of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams at the heart of the revival and Alisson scoring soaring stoppage-time winners – Liverpool demonstrated their winner’s mentality, along with their talent and status among the European elite, had survived the onslaughts of an exhausting campaign. They also reaffirmed the manager’s belief that an unforeseen reversal was nothing a settled defensive unit could not repair. Klopp had vowed last summer that Liverpool would attack the Premier League title again, not defend the crown that had finally returned to Anfield after a 30-year absence. Ultimately his team did neither as a ruinous set of injuries, concentrated in the department where the reigning champions had left themselves light, contributed to a first trophy-less season in three. Contributed to, that is, not explain entirely. Roberto Firmino’s and Sadio Mané’s loss of form, the removal from midfield of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to plug defensive holes, the dramatic dip in confidence after a club record 68-game unbeaten home run ended, plus the initial reluctance to trust Phillips with a regular starting role; each impacted on a team reeling from the seismic losses of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joël Matip to season-ending injuries. All three central defenders are back in training, though some way off a Premier League start, and have been joined by the £36m summer signing Ibrahima Konaté from RB Leipzig. At 22 the France Under-21 international will need time to adapt and has endured two successive injury-hit seasons of his own. He was, however, top of Liverpool’s shortlist for a centre-half and has the physique, pace and technique to eventually form a commanding partnership with Van Dijk. As is often the case under Klopp, who is entering his seventh season as Liverpool manager, there is external angst over a quiet summer so far in the transfer market and the bold moves made by title rivals. The club is again focused on extending the contracts of key assets with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho and Alisson recently signing new long-term deals. Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah could follow, despite the doubts that surfaced over the Egypt international’s future last season when he maintained his outstanding form for the club with another 31 goals. The contracts underline Klopp’s faith in the team at his disposal but concern at the loss of Georginio Wijnaldum, and the absence of a replacement at present, beyond the internal development of Curtis Jones, is well founded. Wijnaldum appeared in every Premier League game last season, 34 times from the start, and was a leading influence on and off the pitch. He was rightly mystified that his obvious importance to Klopp was not reflected in the contract offer that came from the club’s hierarchy. Jones is emerging, however, Harvey Elliott impressed on loan at Blackburn last season and Mané will surely benefit from the first extended break of his Liverpool career this summer. The target remains the same as Klopp’s stated aim of 12 months ago – to attack the title. The manager Klopp appeared exhausted many times last season and for many reasons beyond managing in a Covid bubble without the fans that he and his style of play feed off. There were serious, title-derailing injuries to contend with; draining arguments over the five substitutes’ rule and the increasing demands on elite footballers; being put on the spot by his employers’ prominent role in Project Big Picture and the failed Super League attempt; and all while dealing with the death of his mother and being unable to attend her funeral. Klopp was twice compelled to deny rumours that he was about to quit. He ended the campaign re-energised, however, as a tired team with an inexperienced central defence staged a stirring recovery to claim third place, Champions League qualification and vindicate his belief that Liverpool are in the midst of – and not at the end of – a rewarding era. Key player The answer to this question 12 months ago was Virgil van Dijk, for the stated reason that: “Given the lack of cover for that [central defensive] position, his availability is vital to defending the title.” The answer remains the same, albeit with a nod to the consistent excellence of Mohamed Salah. Van Dijk’s importance was universally appreciated before he suffered a season-ending knee injury five Premier League games in. Even so, the wider impact on Liverpool’s collective performance was striking. Klopp has preached caution over the defender’s return but, as from the moment of his arrival at Anfield, a fully fit Van Dijk has a transformative effect. The owners Fenway Sports Group has had an unerring knack of eroding trust and undermining its good work during the course of 11 years at the helm. Fundamentally because greed often overrides common sense. As one of the main movers behind the appalling Super League project they were forced into another humiliating U-turn, complete with a video apology from principal owner, John W Henry. The contrition has extended to the creation of a new Supporters Board – with fan representation at main board and executive level – and FSG picking up the tab for the feeble punishments that followed the attempted breakaway. Euros factor After the inquests into how many right-backs Gareth Southgate needed and the merits of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion in the England squad there was a huge sense of anticlimax when the defender missed out with a thigh injury sustained in the warm-up win over Austria. Privately, Klopp may consider the extended break a blessing. There was frustration of a different kind for Thiago Alcântara who, after a difficult start to his Liverpool career, was a bit-part player in Spain’s run to the semi-finals. The midfielder was on the bench for all six matches, appearing four times. We’ll be singing You’ll Never Walk Alone, obviously, and perhaps more powerfully after so long without a capacity crowd. It will be also crucial to Liverpool’s prospects that the Kop can serenade Van Dijk to the tune of Dirty Old Town when the key defender returns from a lengthy injury absence and Salah for running down the wing after speculation over his future in recent months. The pair remain indispensable. Back to Anfield The good The noise and the connection between the crowd and Klopp’s team. The absence of both was sorely felt at key moments last season. The bad Being charged £35.99 in the UK (or £41.99 in Europe and £45.99 in the rest of the world) for just the chance of obtaining a match ticket through the membership scheme. The crest The current version was designed for the club’s 125th anniversary in 2017 and is the latest incarnation of a badge that originally featured Greek gods Neptune and Triton flanking two Liver birds. The Shankly Gates and You’ll Never Walk Alone were introduced in the club’s centenary year and two eternal flames in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster were added in 1993. Trending topics “Announce Mbappé/Saúl/Bissouma etc …” “Is Divock Origi still here?” “Mo Salah doesn’t get the credit he deserves does he?” “We really should have replaced Wijnaldum.” The mascot Mighty Red, a character based on the iconic Liver bird, was introduced by the club in 2012.