Jurgen Klopp: Rewriting Liverpool's history

Liverpool have just set an unprecedented record of winning all 7 of their opening matches in the new season. In the English Premier League, this is only the third time Liverpool have won all 6 of their opening matches. The previous two times were in the 1978-79 and 1990-91 seasons. In those seasons, they won the championship in 1979 and finished second in 1991, behind Arsenal.

Match statistics for Liverpool 3-0 Southampton. Image from the internet.

ImpressionShaqiri

Liverpool faced a packed schedule. For over a month, they had two matches a week until the beginning of October, all of which were crucial and challenging. Before hosting Southampton, Liverpool had a very good start to the season with two impressive wins against Tottenham (2-1) and PSG (3-2) in the Premier League and Champions League, respectively.

Given the situation, manager Klopp was forced to rotate a few positions. Center-back Joe Gomez made way for Matip, while 32-year-old veteran James Milner, who has played very well since the start of the season, was benched in favor of Shaqiri. The "Reds" remained faithful to the 4-2-3-1 formation that has brought them 6 wins since the start of the season. Looking at the list of substitutes including Simon Mignolet, James Milner, Alberto Moreno, Naby Keita, Joe Gomez, Daniel Sturridge, and Fabinho, one can see just how abundant the squad is at Liverpool.

Xherdan Shaqiri was one of Liverpool's new signings during the summer transfer window. However, it wasn't until the fifth matchday, against Southampton, that manager Klopp gave the Swiss midfielder a chance to start.
But Shaqiri immediately impressed with his aggressive and effective play.

He was involved in two goals, helping the Merseyside team quickly defeat Southampton 3-0 in the first half. Shaqiri's superb free-kick hit the crossbar of the Southampton goal. Immediately, Mohamed Salah pounced on the rebound and finished, giving goalkeeper McCarthy no chance to save. Shaqiri created the opportunity for Salah to score after four goalless matches.

With a packed schedule, manager Klopp instructed his players to slow down the pace of the game, denying Southampton any chance to score a consolation goal. In midfield, Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Sadio Mane controlled possession (61%), preventing the visitors from building up play.

Challenges ahead

Playing in European competition midweek was expected to put The Kop at a disadvantage due to the demanding schedule, but their deep squad proved otherwise.

Despite only appearing on the pitch for 45 minutes, Shaqiri was directly involved in three of The Kop's goals. (Image: Internet)

Klopp's team temporarily overtook Chelsea, moving to the top of the Premier League table. There is some concern as center-back Virgil van Dijk suffered an injury during the reunion with his former club. The Dutch defender had to leave the field in the 55th minute, being replaced by Joe Gomez, due to a rib injury. If this is a serious injury, it would be a major loss as Van Dijk is one of The Kop's most important players in defense.

Next week, Liverpool will welcome Chelsea to their home ground in the League Cup, and that could be an opportunity for these players to showcase their abilities. In terms of squad depth, the Anfield side have an advantage over their opponents.

Following their next three matches, they will face Chelsea and Man City in the Premier League, along with Napoli in the Champions League. Anfield fans have every right to be proud of the Merseyside "Red Army," who are no longer afraid of big matches and are gradually reaching the level of a top team, regardless of the powerhouses in England and Europe.

Facing a star-studded PSG squad worth a staggering £400 million, featuring world-class superstars like Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Edinson Cavani, they controlled the game and put PSG on the defensive. This season, Klopp has transformed Liverpool in terms of tactics, personnel, and fighting spirit. Therefore, Liverpool's winning streak is likely to continue!