Liverpool are in a brilliant position to win the Premier League in-front of a crowd for the first time since 1990.
The Reds were cruelly robbed of their chance to celebrate a first league title win in 30 years with their fans in 2020, with Coronavirus still keeping supporters away from stadiums.
Fast forward five years and Liverpool are once again well-placed to end up as champions of England.
This time, the Reds’ run to the top of the Premier League table has coincided with three of their best players facing uncertain futures at the club.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are all mere months away from departing Liverpool for nothing.
And while Rousing The Kop understands that Liverpool remain hopeful of all three staying at Anfield, pundit Paul Merson does not believe that will happen.
Paul Merson predicts Liverpool exits
Each of Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk have been absolutely crucial to Liverpool over the years.
Vital cogs in Jurgen Klopp’s winning machine at Anfield, the trio have won every trophy barring the Europa League.
However, one thing they have still to tick off is lifting a Premier League trophy in-front of the Liverpool fans.
Should they do that this season, Merson is convinced that Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk will all decide they’ve completed the set and leave Liverpool.
“Call me a cynic, I don’t think any of them sign,” Merson told Sky Sports. “I think they wait and see, if they win the league, I don’t know where you go if you’re Liverpool.”
“When Liverpool won the league in Covid it wasn’t the same. You watch them lift the trophy, the Kop wasn’t there, the fans. They hadn’t won it for a long time.
“If they go and win it this time in-front of their fans, I just think Salah, Van Dijk, Trent, they’ve won the Champions League, they’ve won the Premier League in-front of the fans – which will be a lot different believe me – then I don’t see them signing.”
No news is bad news for Liverpool
As the season edges closer to a conclusion, Liverpool supporters are starting to accept that any or all of three of their most cherished players could leave.
There is less than five months in which the club can retain Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk. That is no time at all.
Throughout the season, fans have waited patiently for positive news on any extensions.
However, with no updates emerging either way, that patience is starting to wear thin.
Most supporters would accept the trio leaving if it meant Liverpool had won only their second league title in 35 years. But why can’t we have our cake and eat it, too?
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