While Liverpool succumbed to their 4th defeat of the season in 10 matches in all competitions, comparisons of this Liverpool side with the former Tottenham side have followed the uphill task. Although Liverpool are ruing on the injuries that have turn their season into a sinusoidal wave going down, still with 8 new incomers and most of them fit, Brendan Rodgers is facing some tough life ahead at Melwood. So who would have guessed that the high scoring side of Liverpool might incur this fate with 100 million spent? Certainly then, Premier League is crueler than most Leagues in Europe.
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After coming 2nd last season with only 4 defeats in all competitions, Liverpool have already been beaten thrice in a matter of one and half month into the new campaign this time around.
Having an eye on Liverpool and seen their recent slump against mid-table sides again and again, Premier League fans might prove they are familiar with this scene at the domestic level. Talking about the Manchester United side that won the Premier League before being thrown back to earth in a matter of just one season, history is repeating itself in the Premier League once again, and that might leave a bitter taste in Anfield faithful’s mouth.
In the 1993-94 season after coming 2nd in the League a year before, Aston Villa slumped to finish 10th in the League. Similar was the case with Newcastle who finished 13th in the table after being the runners up a season before.
While Aston Villa might have felt injustice that season after going down 8 places in the League table, one thing that has been proved since then that Premier League is not a place for opportunistic. While a one season form can take you to certain levels here, still a better future emblazoned with medals and glory is the last thing guaranteed by the Premier League. And with immediate case studies of Tottenham, Manchester United and now Liverpool in front of our eyes, one bad transfer window can take a team miles behind.
Since the start of Premier League in 1992, only 4 teams have come from a 2nd place finish to win the League title next season.
Taking the above mentioned effect in context and comparing it with another, let’s look at how teams gone on to finish below 10th position after being runners up a season before. Since the inception of Premier League, only 2 team (Newcastle and Villa) finished the season in the lower mid-table of the Premier League.
So with every going away from the Liverpool boss in the current situation, the difficulty level of the Premier League along with its cruel nature has given a litmus test to Liverpool as well. And next time a team finishes 2nd in the League, they should take it light at their own peril the season after.
Amir Bashir follow him on Twitter.
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