Liverpool can dare to dream about the Premier League title for the first time in 26 years — because they do not have any superstars
SunSport's Phil Thomas says the Reds have their best chance in years because their squad is stronger than ever
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FOR a large chunk of the last 26 years, Liverpool fans haven’t even dared to dream.
They have been down that road too many times before. Seen too many false dawns. Too many bold new eras that have fallen flat.
Yet, for all Jurgen Klopp’s protestations that it is still way too soon to do so again, it is becoming harder not to cast at least half a glance towards May.
Increasingly difficult to stop the pulse from quickening at the prospect of imagining Jordan Henderson hoisting that trophy high in front of an baying Kop.
Liverpool go into this weekend’s fixtures sitting pretty atop the table, with a record of 23 points from the last 27 – something only Arsenal can match.
And the reason the Reds believe this could finally be their year?
Well bizarrely, given how much they love their heroes on Merseyside, this time it isn’t based entirely around one. Or two, three, not even four.
The reason why Liverpool have that scent of glory again is down to one thing above all others – while the rest of the wannabe champions have a couple of stand-out supermen, they have none.
That’s not to say they don’t have top, top performers, because they do.
But that’s the point – while others have superstars and others around them, the Reds are a team in the truest sense of the word.
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Yes, Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane can be unplayable at times.
True, Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana are showing the sort of form the Kop once thought beyond them.
But in the past, missing their star performer, taking a Steven Gerrard or Luis Suarez from the side, was a boot in the you-know-whats for the Reds and a shot in the arm for opponents.
Well not any more.
For Liverpool simply aren’t reliant on any individual. When Gini Wijnaldum hit the sixth against Watford two weeks ago, he was the 13th different scorer this season.
Indeed, if you include own goals, he was the 14th. It is hard to recall any side of any era being such a dominant sum of the parts.
And don’t dare to suggest Wimbledon and the Crazy Gang days. That wasn’t just one level below this, it was a world away.
Contrast that with the other challengers. Manchester City without Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne?
Chelsea without Diego Costa and Eden Hazard? Arsenal minus Alexis Sanchez or Spurs missing Harry Kane and Dele Alli?
Yes, they might get away without them for a while, but you certainly wouldn’t fancy them doing so for too long.
Yet Liverpool? There isn’t anyone you could haul from the line-up and claim they were dramatically weakened.
That’s not to decry the ones who are doing the business, just how they are doing it together – and with the likes of Daniel Sturridge or Divock Origi waiting in the wings too.
Ultimately, of course, it may still not be enough to see them home first.
But this time you sense it’s going to take something special to stop them.