Manchester United pose a serious threat to Liverpool that Thiago Alcántara can heal

Liverpool recorded a record away win in the top flight against Crystal Palace. Was that a statement to the rest of the Premier League that the Reds are still favorites to retain the title?

Definitely, a 7-0 win is an impressive result, one that our rivals will have no doubt taken note of.

Of course, with the performances we’ve seen so far this season, it’s understandable why so many are making us favorites to lift the trophy once again.

But, we’ve experienced first-hand the kind of crazy results that a closed-door season will bring and personally I think things will be a lot more open this time.

We’ve already suffered some serious injuries this season, which means we simply can’t get too comfortable with our position as a few more injuries to key players could lead to a losing streak of results.

That said, this team has coped incredibly well with the loss of Van Dijk and Gomez, we’ve been without Alisson for extended periods, we’ve lost the two new signings in Thiago and now Jota, to name just a few, but we’re sitting on top of the table at Christmas.

Sure, we’re the favorites, but that doesn’t mean anything until we make it.

Roberto Firmino scored the winning goal in the FIFA Club World Cup final just over a year ago, and he looked to be in equally good shape over the weekend. How important is that continuing for Jurgen Klopp to move forward?

Firmino’s form has been the subject of much criticism this season, and with good reason. Since the restart, he looked good off the beat, but has changed things drastically since his goal against Leicester and it seems like he’s regained his confidence.

A goalscorer Firmino is just a good thing for Klopp and this Liverpool; It only makes us stronger when all of the top three are contributing goals.

Listen to the latest Blood Red podcast by clicking HERE

It goes without saying how important the Brazilian is to us: when he’s playing well, the whole team seems to play much better, so Klopp will be delighted with his current form.

Liverpool are starting to recover some players from injuries. Who are you most excited to get back in shape with, and what difference will Thiago, Keita, Shaqiri, Chamberlain and the rest make?

It was great to see Chamberlain get his first few minutes of the season, but I think I can speak for a lot of Liverpool fans when I say that it is Thiago we are waiting for.

We’ve seen glimpses, like his performance against Everton, for example, of what he can do and how smoothly he can dictate a game.

With how well our midfield is currently performing in his absence, adding it to the equation will only make us better and hopefully it can reach similar heights for us, as it did at Bayern Munich.

For Naby, Ox and Shaqiri, the key will be to stay in shape. It’s great for them to get back into shape and make a couple of appearances, but it’s never long before they’re on the sidelines again.

Roy Keane claimed over the weekend that Manchester United could be Liverpool’s closest rival this season. Do you agree? Who else could challenge at the top?

To be fair, United have been quietly busy this season as most of us have singled out Spurs and City as our title contenders.

But, with a game in hand, Ole’s team could move just two points behind us, which is not a bad place for them and their recent result against Leeds United has highlighted the quality they have.

I think for most teams looking to challenge Liverpool this season, it will come down to consistency.

The Spurs went from the top of the table to fifth in the space of a week, which shows how quickly things can change and, currently, only the Reds seem to be able to sustain a serious series of results.

Liverpool do not play again until the day after Boxing Day, when Sam Allardyce and West Brom arrive at Anfield. How much will that extra break help Klopp before another busy run heading into the New Year?

Klopp has made no secret of his frustrations with match congestion, so being eliminated from the League Cup is probably a blessing in disguise for him, as those matches take place on weekdays.

A week to prepare will have given the team a much-needed break and a chance for some players, notably Thiago, to return to training and hopefully compete to participate on Sunday.

The January transfer window is almost upon us. What does Liverpool need to do there, if anything, to maintain their place at the top of the Premier League and progress in the Champions League?

It is difficult to know if the club will really be looking to sign someone, especially since they are not the type to panic.

However, given the lack of a replacement for Dejan Lovren in the summer and the defensive injuries we’ve suffered this season, it’s hard to justify not signing a center in January.

We’ve found ourselves short of defenders numerous times before, not just in recent months, so it feels like an absolute necessity.

Only the club knows the tough times of the return of Van Dijk and Gómez, but an injury to Fabinho (which has already occurred this season) could cause us serious problems.

We can get away with playing with the youngsters alongside Fabinho, given his quality, but without him it is probably too difficult for players with so little experience.

Matip is also incredibly prone to injury, so signing a defender makes perfect sense, but I feel like the likelihood of us doing any business in January remains slim.