Niall Corcoran discusses everything you need to know ahead of the final Premier League game of the season.
The final game of the Premier League season is almost here for Liverpool as they host Brighton Hove Albion at Anfield. This game, despite being against a side in the lower half of the Premier League table, is key for Liverpool’s attempt to continue their reign in the Champions League.
Klopp’s appointment in 2015 was a big statement from Liverpool that showed their aspirations, one was to become a team that consistently appeared in the Champions League. When Liverpool host Brighton on Sunday, if the team can at least grab a point, this will reinforce this statement massively.
Despite the Reds preparing to face Real Madrid in the final of the Champions League later this month – also offering a potential route into Europe for next season – it will be important for the club to show they can achieve their place in the competition through securing top four too. Brighton being their last chance to do so.
With Brighton having already secured their place in the Premier League next season, Liverpool fans will be hoping the team will have nothing to play for. However, no team will want to end the season with a loss, especially after Brighton’s extremely successful debut Premier League season.
Liverpool will be the only team going in to this game with something to lose.
This will also be Mohamed Salah’s final chance to equal or even break Andy Cole and Alan Shearer’s records of most goals in a Premier League season. Despite them having a 42 game season to set the records, Liverpool’s main man is only 3 off. A hat-trick for Salah this weekend would make history.
Salah is also looking to secure the golden boot, with Tottenham’s Harry Kane needing to bag at least four goals to overtake Salah.
Liverpool have found themselves feeling like they will be playing 2 finals this month, one being this game, and the other being the Champions League final.
However, Liverpool can only blame themselves for not already securing top four, with their recent form in the league being underwhelming. They have failed to win a Premier League game since the 14th of April, where the Reds put three past Bournemouth with a clean sheet.
Last time out, Liverpool put in a poor display as they were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The recent poor form of this Liverpool side in the league has allowed Chelsea to challenge for a Champions League spot. The Reds were 7 points clear of Chelsea only 3 weeks ago. but the Reds’ Champions League fatigue, both mentally and physically, is the most likely explanation for this recent poor spell.
Liverpool fans will also be devastated about the news of star man Sadio Mané’s injury. It is believed that he will not make an appearance on Sunday for the Reds. He picked up a knock during the clash at Stamford Bridge that will force him to have to watch Liverpool’s closing Premier League game from the sidelines.
Klopp has come out and said: “We will see. It is not the same injury. A fresh problem.” Horrible news for Liverpool fans to hear in the build-up to their last league game.
Liverpool will need to forget about their recent bad form and focus on the game at hand this weekend and make sure they secure their spot for the Champions League next season and force Chelsea to settle for Europa League football.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Salah, Firmino.
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