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."
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is aiming to reintroduce the fearless football that Manchester United played under Sir Alex Ferguson. Solskjaer, who scored 91 goals in 235 Premier League appearances as a striker for United, has taken charge at Old Trafford until the end of the season. His first match on
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LIVERPOOL: Manchester City are back on top of the Premier League but manager Pep Guardiola certainly does not expect anything like a repeat of last season's procession to the title. Back on top, Guardiola expects more twists and turns in title race | New Straits Times | Malaysia General Business Sports and Lifestyle News
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Willian gem sinks Newcastle as Chelsea cement fourth place League football match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge in London on January 12, 2019. Willian cut back
Willian gem sinks Newcastle as Chelsea cement fourth place
Wolves deepen Cardiff's relegation plight with 2-0 win. Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Cardiff City - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - March 2, 2019
Football news - Wolves deepen Cardiff's relegation plight
Enrique praises Ramos as 'unique' player's penalty secures win for Spain Ramos scored the winning penalty after Josh King had cancelled out Rodrigo's opener.
Davinson Sanchez is confident Tottenham's squad is strong enough to mount a Premier League title challenge despite injuries to Harry Kane and Dele Alli. Three successive wins have lifted Spurs to within five points of leader Liverpool after 25 matches, putting it firmly in the title picture alongside Manchester City.
Sanchez: Spurs squad can cope in absence of Kane and Alli
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Sanchez: Spurs squad can cope without Kane and Alli - Sportstar
Southampton's Jack Stephens bundled the ball into the net in added time, but Cardiff went back up the other end and substitute Zohore scuffed home a shot to give Cardiff only their second away win
Cardiff City beat Southampton 2-1 after a thrilling finish
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is relaxed about Mohamed Salah's goalscoring drought, saying the Egyptian forward remains a key part of the title chasers' attacking armoury.
Klopp relaxed about Salah's Liverpool drought - FootyNews.co.uk
AIRMARINE CUP. Malaysia 0. Singapore 1. The easy part was to promise entertaining, attacking football but Nazri Nasir walked the walk when he guided the Lions to a 1-0 win over Malaysia in the AirMarine Cup last night, in his debut as the caretaker national coach.
Malaysia 0-1 Singapore: Faris' late objective settles derby
Cristiano Ronaldo has dismissed fears after limping off during Portugal's 1-1 draw with Serbia on Monday night amid claims of a hamstring injury. In the 31st minute, the 34-year-old Juventus forward suddenly stopped running and griped his thigh, with Portugal chasing the game after a Dusan Tadic penalty goal handed Serbia the lead.
Zinedine Zidane allays fears over Cristiano Ronaldo injury
Jan 25, 2019 · Manchester United beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium in the fourth round of the FA Cup to give Ole Gunnar Solskjær his eighth straight win since taking over as manager incisive football
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