LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Rafa Benitez's return to Anfield on Boxing Day is likely to stir memories of an unsuccessful Liverpool challenge for the Premier League title, but Jurgen Klopp is trying to focus on the present.
Klopp's Liverpool hold a four-point lead at the top of the table as Benitez, the club's manager between 2004 and 2010, visits with his relegation-threatened Newcastle United side on Wednesday (Dec 26).
There is a strong sense this could be the season that the English league trophy comes to Anfield for the first time since 1990, although recent history is offering mixed messages as to whether that will happen.
First, the good news for Liverpool: In eight of the past 10 seasons, the leaders on Christmas Day have gone on to win the Premier League.
Now, the bad news: On the two occasions it did not happen, the Christmas leaders were Liverpool. In 2008/09, Manchester United won the title; in 2013/14 it was Manchester City.
The late collapse to miss out in 2014 was perhaps the more immediately painful experience for Liverpool fans, but the failure of 2009, under Benitez, maybe offers more reason for regret. Both cases offer lessons that the Merseyside club, however, appear to have absorbed.
Brendan Rodgers' team of 2013/14 were not as balanced as the side current Reds boss Klopp has now.
While Rodgers had an outstanding attacking partnership, with Luis Suarez supported by a fully-fit Daniel Sturridge, his men were defensively suspect.
The then Liverpool manager had four senior centre-backs - Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger, Mamadou Sakho and Kolo Toure - yet struggled to settle on a first-choice pairing. A team who scored 101 league goals conceded a whopping 50; far too many for any side with serious championship ambitions.
The class of 2018/19 should avoid that trap; they have the Premier League's best defensive record this season, with only seven goals conceded.
Virgil van Dijk's influence has been key: the centre-back, signed for £75 million (S$130.5 million) from Southampton last January, has provided the defensive leadership that Liverpool missed badly following Jamie Carragher's retirement in 2013.
"He's very influential," Klopp said of Van Dijk.
"When I met him first, I thought I knew about his personality, I was pretty sure he would be like he is.
"After we lost 4-1 at Tottenham in October of last season, we started defending better and conceding less but then Virgil came in on top." Liverpool's solid defending means they do not have to score as freely to win games, although they are coming up with the goals when needed.
Mohamed Salah, after a quiet start to the season, is thriving after being switched from a wide position to a central attacking role. His total of 11 Premier League goals is only one fewer than Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the competition's leading scorer.
Yet despite that quality, avoiding the fate of the 2008/09 Liverpool team managed by Benitez, might still need a little luck to go the way of Klopp's men.
That side, containing a spine of Pepe Reina, Carragher, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, was strong enough to be champions, but suffered from a lack of adequate back-up.
Too many draws against lowly opponents proved costly too, with Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and Hull all coming away from Anfield with a point.
Certainly, while Liverpool have the versatile attacking talent of Xherdan Shaqiri to call on if they lose one of their main forwards, and good quality options in midfield now that Fabinho and Naby Keita have found their feet, they may struggle if anything happens to Van Dijk. Perhaps that is why Klopp has not ruled out signings in January.
"I keep the door open because if something happens then we will need to have a look, as there are monstrous numbers of games coming and that's really important that we can react," said the German.
"But it's all good, unless something dramatically changes."
Singapore-based Australian DJ Adam Sky was found dead in a luxury resort in Bali on Saturday (May 4). Australian news outlet Nine News said that the body of the 42-year-old DJ, whose real name is Adam Neat, was found in a pool of blood around 10am that day at the Hillstone Villas Resort.
Football Association of Singapore - spl.sg
spl.sg/singapore-premier-league-week-10-roundup/
SINGAPORE, 6 MAY 2019 - Brunei DPMM were arguably the biggest winners over the weekend as they extended their lead at the top of the table to six points thanks to their victory over Home United, coupled with Tampines Rovers and Hougang United cancelling each other out.
Man City deny Pep Guardiola has held talks with Juventus and will join them next month MANCHESTER CITY are ridiculing claims in Italy that Pep Guardiola is on the verge of being named Juventus
Juventus Reportedly Deny Massimiliano Allegri Split, Antonio
LONDON (AFP) - Jurgen Klopp refused to get carried away with the growing expectation that Liverpool can lift the league title for the first time in 29 years saying his players must stay focussed
Delighted Jurgen Klopp Tells Players To Stay Focused
"First and goal, ball on the two yard-line, Kapatos letting the playclock wind-down before hiking the ball. The Lions are in their goal-line formation, with an extra lineman as an eligible receiver.
For the first few minutes of Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal second leg between Barcelona and Manchester United, it looked like the Red Devils might just be able to recapture the magic that allowed them to overcome a two-goal loss at home last month and upset Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
A Genius in Full Bloom, Lionel Messi Lifts Barcelona
SINGAPORE - After a seven-month wait, the Lions will play at the National Stadium again, and also welcome a new ringmaster. The Straits Times understands that the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) will unveil Tatsuma Yoshida as the new national coach this week, after announcing on Monday (May 27) two international friendlies against Solomon Islands on June 8 and Myanmar on June 11.
Asian NT Friendly matches 2019 | BigSoccer Forum
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With Silva, Portugal no more just the Ronaldo show Straits Times · 1d PORTO * Cristiano Ronaldo has ended his international exile to spearhead Portugal's hopes of winning the inaugural Nations League at home this weekend, but gone are the days when he was the European champions' only man to fear.
Nations League: More than just Cristiano Ronaldo! Portugal
Apr 06, 2019 · Teenage sensation Moise Kean scored the winner to put Juventus one step away from an eighth consecutive Serie A title on Saturday as a 2-1 comeback win over AC Milan pushed the champions 21 points
Kean winner puts Juventus on brink of Serie A title
LONDON • Aaron Ramsey has agreed a five-year deal with Juventus worth £36 million (S$62 million) and will join the Italian champions on a free transfer at the end of the season.. Read more at
Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey agrees five-year deal with Juventus
SINGAPORE - Most of his National Football Academy Under-17 team-mates were promoted to form the first batch of Young Lions in 2003, but Baihakki Khaizan was left out because he had not played much
Thank you, Baihakki! - Football Association of Singapore
Arsenal, who are fifth in the table following a 5-1 defeat by leaders Liverpool on Saturday, host Fulham on Tuesday. Also Read: Arsenal set for third consecutive season without Champions League
Arsenal's Emery fined for kicking bottle at Brighton fan
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