Opinion Liverpool are champions as Manchester United struggles

Manchester United have fallen off the rails since their legendary manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls were never the same since his (second) retirement. Chennai Super Kings seem to be fretting over the post-Dhoni era, if ever there will be one. Even Liverpool had to wait for 30 very long years since Kenny Dalglish’s departure as the manager to win England’s top-division league. But they didn’t have to wait for a long time to win again. On Sunday, the Merseyside club clinched its second Premier League title in five years. And a lot of it is because they planned — and timed — the transition just right.

Jurgen Klopp, who ended Liverpool’s 30-year wait in 2020, left the club last summer because he felt drained. Before he waved goodbye, the German left a solid team for his successor and even had a say in picking him: Arne Slot. In his farewell speech, delivered standing in the middle of the fabled ground, Klopp urged the club faithful to throw their weight behind Slot. On Sunday, Slot turned to the same stands and returned the favour by getting the fans to sing Klopp’s name. A lot of great teams would have grudgingly admired these scenes. None more so than their arch-rivals Manchester United, whose record of 20 titles Liverpool matched.

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In the 30 years when Liverpool struggled to win the title, Manchester United clinched half of the titles to become the team with the highest number of English top-division trophies. That record was held in high esteem because, by many metrics, the English Premier League is regarded as the most competitive domestic club football competition in the world. The tables have now turned. As Manchester United toil, Liverpool’s fortunes are on an upswing and the Slot machine could just be getting started.