The perception remains that this has been a difficult season for Liverpool – but all the signs suggest they are finding last season’s form despite their injury absentees
Between a quarter and a third of the way through the season the table is, at least, beginning to take on some sense of normality. Tottenham are first and seven points separate the top half, so it’s not entirely normal. But as a vaccine is approved, fans are allowed back in limited numbers and a return to something approximating to what we knew before can be imagined, so familiar tropes return to football. Manchester City are casually dismissing lesser sides at home, West Ham are losing leads, Everton are flaky and Liverpool are overpowering opponents at Anfield. Welcome back, normality, we’ve missed you.
Within that sense of the plates settling, of everything calming down, though, Liverpool’s situation still feels odd. The perception remains that this has been a difficult season for them. The early part of their campaign was characterised by wild football, by the 4-3 win over Leeds, the 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa and the 2-2 draw at Everton, the repercussions of which continue to be felt. There has been a raggedness to some of their play and, the win away to Atalanta aside, their Champions League form has been no better than it needed to be.
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