Is Title Over for Liverpool?

Leader, Tower, Big Brother different names have been called by his teammates and football pundits, would be missing football for at least 5–6months. After that horrific challenge by the Everton goalkeeper, Pickford VVD is set to undergo surgery.

But what does the absence of VVD means for Liverpool? Can people say the title race is over for them? Certainly not, but surely it’s a big blow. It was always on cards but Liverpool tried to avoid it. They failed to sign a Center Back and a backup keeper in the transfer window.

Last year Liverpool were really lucky in injuries. Even when Allision was injured Adrian did a good thing but still you needed a top-class backup keeper. The effects of that can be seen now. Last season against Atletico Madrid and this year against Aston Villa. VVD injury is not only a blow for a center back position but also a blow for fullbacks.

VVD getting injured is the same case that City suffered last season with Aymeric Laporte. He was the main cog in City’s defense and failing to sign a replacement for Kompany he was expected to lead. But the unfortunate injury didn’t help city and caused them to lose the title by 18 points.

Injury to Laporte meant Fernandinho had to go back in the center back position, but this lead to depletion in midfield. Fernandinho main work was to stop the counterattacks. He was not afraid to take cards for his team. Though city has a strong squad depth but the quality Fernandinho posses no other player in city has that and that’s why city were vulnerable against the counterattacks.

Same is with the Liverpool, they don’t have many choices. Among the senior pair, they have Gomez and Matip only. Gomez is not so convincing while Matip has his injury issues. Other options Liverpool have of Fabinho. The defensive midfielder is the same category as Fernandinho is expected to go back in the center back position. He did grab a Man of The Match award against Chelsea. Also, he played against Bayern in the 2019 champions league keeping a clean sheet, so it’s not like that he is not familiar with this position.

But the question is that can he do regularly because VVD would not be back until March and to keep performing at that level and that too continuously will be a big thing to ask from him.

Title over for Liverpool? It’s too soon to say for them. They are a top class team with a top-class coach and you expect to compete without their main players.