Liverpool offered a chance to prove Rio Ferdinand wrong by ‘matching’ Manchester United

“What do you have in store to come for these proven stars and maintain this level of consistency? That is what we are waiting to see. “

The preseason challenge that Rio Ferdinand imposed on Liverpool’s title winners, in just eight games, now seems almost prophetic.

The Manchester United legend highlighted the Reds’ injury history during the season in which Jurgen Klopp’s men ended thirty years of injury at Anfield.

He added: “No one can say that Liverpool had a strange season because they finished far ahead of their rivals, but they did have an important factor on their side that they cannot guarantee going forward.

And no one knew how fast that so-called “factor” would no longer be at Liverpool’s advantage.

Of course, the argument that Liverpool somehow suffered no injuries during the 2019/20 season is something of a myth. Klopp was forced to replace his first-choice goalkeeper for months, while Joel Matip and Fabinho had spells on the sidelines.

But compared to the delay seen in the first two months of this campaign, last year seems like a serene ride.

Mohamed Salah’s positive coronavirus test while with Egypt is just the latest in a long and growing list of key players who will miss crucial matches.

If Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho are added, the seriousness of the crisis that surrounds the champions becomes clear.

Before matches resumed in September, Ferdinand deeply questioned the strength at Klopp’s disposal and wondered if, beyond the first XI, there was enough to sustain a title challenge.

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“The key for them has been keeping their key players in shape for the better part of two seasons. It has been huge and what we have yet to find out is how they will cope if they lose some big names for an extended period.

“When I look at the teams I played for when we won titles every season at Manchester United, we never had two seasons where all the best players were in shape for the big games, so Liverpool have had some luck there and obviously does things well. in the medical aspect also so that his players are well “.

Well if Liverpool had any kind of fortune on their side, that is really gone.

Very few questions remain about this Liverpool squad. Winning trophies at national, European and world level tends to do that, but the latest excess of injuries offers the opportunity to dispel one of the doubts that still linger.

Make no mistake, if Klopp keeps his bruised and bruised squad in contention, it will be an achievement to match the likes seen during Ferdinand’s stint at Old Trafford.

And if they accomplish that, even the most anti-Liverpool observer may be forced to remove his hat.

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