'These players have mental steel and want to influence every game'published at 08:52
08:52
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool fan and podcaster Peter Bolster, speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside on the importance of Mohamed Salah:
"He's a wonderful footballer. This season he has been incredible. He has been different. He was a playmaker and that is one of the differences Arne Slot has brought in.
"He loves being great. He loved it under Jurgen Klopp but, for him, it doesn't matter who the manager is. A lot of managers get the credit but Salah doesn't let that happen. He says 'I'm Mo Salah and I'm great no matter who is in charge'.
On Virgil van Dijk, Bolster added: "People were wondering if he would ever be the same after his injury but he's shown how incredible he is.
"Slot has come into a dressing room full of winners. These players have mental steel and they want to influence each and every game. Virgil doesn't want to come off, he doesn't want to be rested - he's not that kind of guy."
Gossip: Reds keen on Juve's Cambiasopublished at 08:11
08:11
Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in signing 25-year-old Italy right-back Andrea Cambiaso, who appears set to leave Juventus this summer. (Calciomercato), external
Meanwhile, the Reds want Bournemouth defensive duo Dean Huijsen, 20, and Milos Kerkez, 21, plus Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, 22, to bolster their squad and help defend their Premier League title. (Mail), external
Irish Cup finalists hold fond memories for Bradleypublished at 07:40
07:40
Jonathan Bradley BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Conor Bradley played youth football in Dungannon before moving to Liverpool
After winning his maiden Premier League title last weekend, Liverpool's Conor Bradley hopes his former club Dungannon Swifts can secure a memorable first of their own on Saturday.
The Stangmore Park outfit have never won the Irish Cup and will meet Cliftonville in the showpiece decider at Windsor Park on Saturday afternoon (14.30 BST).
The 21-year-old played age-group football for Dungannon United Youth and latterly Dungannon Swifts, and will be supporting Rodney McAree's side from afar this weekend.
"I'm really looking forward to it," Bradley, who missed Liverpool clinching the title against Tottenham on Sunday through injury, told BBC Sport NI.
"I think they've done really well this year, obviously getting to the final."
Bradley had already caught the attention of Liverpool when playing with Dungannon, limiting his appearances for the club. Still, however, he enjoyed the experience.
"It was a good time when I was there," he added.
"I was there for 18 months or two years and I've really fond memories, I met some really good people when I was there.
"I loved my time at Dungannon. Hopefully they can get the job done in the final and bring a trophy back to Dungannon."
As they prepare for what could be the biggest day in the club's history, the Swifts' focus on youth is again in the spotlight.
Joe McAree, a former manager at Stangmore Park and father of current boss Rodney McAree, can still remember the first time he saw Bradley in action for his hometown club St Patrick's.
"I went to see him one night in Omagh and he was playing in a final two years up for St Patrick's," he recalled.
"It was obvious he was a great, talented player.
"I'd been told about him three years before, but there was no way I was going to be asking an eight-year-old to run up the road from Castlederg to Dungannon to play football."
'I still believe he's a Steven Gerrard'
Making his pitch to Bradley's parents after that game, the youngster did not immediately choose Dungannon.
"Conor wasn't sure, it was a long distance and he was closer to Maiden City," Joe McAree said.
"A couple of days later, the mum rang to say 'Conor feels he's better going to Maiden City but thank you very much' and everything else.
"To be honest, I could have cried on the phone, I very nearly did."
Within six months, Bradley had come to Dungannon and his successes at Liverpool have come as no surprise to those still at the club.
Joe McAree, however, believes there could be even more to come.
"I still believe he's a Steven Gerrard," he added.
"The first manager brave enough to put him into a Steven Gerrard role rather than right wing-back or right-back will have an even better player."
'There's only one champion' - Salahpublished at 20:26 29 April
20:26 29 April
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah on social media: "This is what we wanted to deliver to our fans more than anything. This is a club that should always compete for everything and be right at the top. No excuses. All teams win games but in the end there's only one champion. That's what history remembers and this applies to next season as well."
Image source, Getty Images
Does Slot need summer reinforcements?published at 19:18 29 April
19:18 29 April
Image source, Getty Images
We asked you whether or not Arne Slot needs to bring in reinforcements this summer, after former Liverpool forward John Barnes said the Dutchman doesn't need to bolster his Premier League winning side too much.
Here are some of your replies:
Pat: Liverpool definitely need to do some business this summer, but it needs to be sensible. We need a centre-forward who can score goals and stay fit (sorry Jota) and a new left-back. The most important thing though is to give games to the talented young players at the club already. The likes of Elliott and Bradley need to be playing football every week, not moving further down the pecking order to accommodate new signings.
Paul: I love John Barnes as a player, but I have never been on the same page with him regarding his thinking. We don't need major team surgery but we should recruit now for the future, if the right players are available. I have no doubt Liverpool will do this for next season. Superstars? No. What will turn out to be super players? Yes.
Andy: I love big John Barnes but he is wrong on this one. You always strengthen from a position of power. We didn't do so adequately after 2019-20 and it set us back half a decade. New signings are must if we are to kick on.
Jason: He is exactly right. We can buy one or two players, but we don't need to break the bank. We can leave that for the others to try and catch up.
Liam: I agree with Barnes. They have just won the biggest league on the planet with weeks still left remaining. I think they will be alright next season...
Ken: I love John Barnes but I couldn't disagree more with him on this. Liverpool must not squander the opportunity to strengthen while at the top. It was apparent that the squad required a little bit more depth when exiting the Champions League and losing in the League Cup final. It won't be too long before the cornerstones of the last two title wins will need replacing so it's better starting now. Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen, Ederson (of Atalanta) and Nico Williams would represent a statement of intent.
Mark: New blood in the team creates competition for the other players. If Slot rests on his laurels the established players could become complacent. Hopefully they can get Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth and Dean Huijsen – he's a fantastic talent who reminds me of Alan Hansen. He could also play the holding mid-field role so Gravenberch gets a rest. Alexander Isak would be a great addition to any team but I feel he's being priced out of a move. Need to keep the fire in the belly - Sir Alex Ferguson always refreshed a title winning team.
Anthony: If it's not broken don't fix it. Liverpool already have the players to challenge for major honours next season.
Yusuf: Curtis Jones is the perfect person who can step up - his technical ability is excellent and he has been on the bench in a lot of games this season. Give Jones some more time on the pitch and it will help both him and Gravenberch to develop.
Is Mac Allister the best midfielder in the Premier League?published at 15:52 29 April
15:52 29 April
Jordan Chamberlain Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
In the absence of Rodri through injury this season, Alexis Mac Allister just might be.
The Argentine was jaw-droppingly good against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday, as Liverpool won the title.
Mac Allister played the whole game with a smile on his face. He passed smartly, pressed relentlessly and bullied Spurs, while showing creativity on the ball.
His goal that put Liverpool 2-1 up was the game's most important and best. How could you hit a ball that hard with your wrong foot? It was sensational.
Ryan Gravenberch was Liverpool's best midfielder at the start of the season, but basing it on the whole campaign it has to be Mac Allister. He is not quite as important to the team as Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, but he is pretty close.
In the summer, Liverpool need to sign another midfielder to support Gravenberch as the holding player.
Then, Curtis Jones, Mac Allister and Dom Szoboszlai can share the two positions ahead.
It will be interesting to see what Arne Slot does with Harvey Elliott. The Englishman loves Liverpool and would prefer to stay and win the manager over. but he has not started a Premier League game all season.
Do you agree that the Reds need to sign another midfielder this summer? Who would you be targeting and why? Or is there a player already at the club who can step up? Let us know here
'I'm not concerned about whether we sign players in the summer' - Barnespublished at 14:38 29 April
14:38 29 April
Image source, Getty Images
Former Liverpool forward John Barnes does not believe there is a need for Arne Slot to bolster his Premier League winners with new signings this summer.
The Reds secured a record-equalling 20th top-flight title on Sunday with a squad that contained just one summer signing.
That was Federico Chiesa, who has played a total of 33 minutes in the league this season.
"I'm not worried about the summer," said Barnes. "I'm a bit old school in thinking the solution to problems is not just signing players.
"We have won the league comfortably so why do we need to sign players? We have kept the two most important players Virgil (Van Dijk) and Mo (Salah). If we lose Trent (Alexander-Arnold) we've got Conor Bradley, that's fine."
When Jurgen Klopp ended the club's 30-year wait for a title in 2020 he bought Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas and Thiago Alcantara for a combined £73m, but Barnes believes this team can still challenge next season without breaking the bank.
"Other people will catch us but I'd love to stand still because if we do we're still at the top," added Barnes.
"We don't need superstars, we have world-class players all over the pitch as we've shown."
Reds now 'need reinforcements'published at 14:37 29 April
14:37 29 April
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool's Premier League title win has come sooner than anyone expected but now they need "reinforcements" to "keep moving forward", says former midfielder Danny Murphy.
The Reds confirmed their new status as 2024-25 Premier League champions on Sunday and brought boss Arne Slot the title in his first season in charge.
With the stranglehold Manchester City have had on the trophy over recent seasons and Jurgen Klopp's exit, most onlookers did not have Liverpool to be top of the pile this campaign.
"What's happened by winning the league in the first season is he's brought everything forward," Murphy told BBC Sport.
"Liverpool fans always expect to be challenging for the title and the Champions League but this win has brought it all forward much more quickly than anyone anticipated, probably even [Slot] himself.
"Yes, they need reinforcements, they need to keep moving forward, because everyone else is going to try. Especially Arsenal - I think they'll go big in the summer."
Since Slot's arrival in the summer, Liverpool have made just two signings - winger Federico Chiesa and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
With Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk now staying, fans will be hoping the ownership invest over the summer to build on the squad's achievements this campaign.
"I think a centre-half is going to be key and probably a full-back," Murphy said. "If you think of centre-half this season, Virgil [Van Dijk] and [Ibrahima] Konate have been a phenomenal partnership but both very rarely injured.
"The other area of the pitch that's going to be really important is a centre-forward. Although I've complimented [Luis] Diaz and [Diogo] Jota for filling in there at times, I think it looks like Darwin [Nunez] is going to go, so who do they bring in?
"That's going to be the area that I think most fans are excited about seeing who they're going to bring in.
"We talk about crucial positions on the pitch – the spine if you like – centre-back and centre forward are the ones I would really like to see two established players to come in."
Fans' take - why did Reds ease to title? published at 11:45 29 April
11:45 29 April
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on why you think Liverpool cruised to the Premier League with four games to spare.
Here are some of your comments:
Matt: Slot came in and instead of making wholesale changes, he tweaked a few things that made the team more efficient. He made good players play better and balanced the team well. We have also had great consistency which I think comes from the calmness that Slot brings to Liverpool. There isn't any need to panic and that shows within our style.
Ian: Titles are built on energy swings. This season, Arsenal and Man City never grabbed theirs. Arsenal and Man City never found a psychological edge all season, which meant that the energy and momentum stayed with Liverpool.
Kamal: It's a combination of several inter-related factors: The choice of Arne Slot and the transition, as well as the culture created by Jurgen Klopp and the staff. The tactics to use Ryan Gravenberch in midfield; to allow Mo Salah to focus more on attack; the rise of Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, and the amazing goalkeeping talents of Alisson and Kelleher.
Steve: What has epitomised the season is the willingness of the players to get stuck in when the going gets tough which is where the support of the coaching staff comes in for the players. The measured approach and depth of this squad makes it the best I've seen. It almost feels like the stress of worrying about a win is taken off you as a supporter as this squad nearly always finds a way.
Lee: Jurgen laid the foundations but the team underachieved because of the high energy output. Arne has developed the style and slowed the tempo so picked up less injuries along the way, while finding a way to win most of our matches.
Chappers: Despite comments about it being an easy league, I would argue the opposite. It's been the most competitive league with Forest, Fulham and Bournemouth all raising their game and taking points off the supposed 'big six'. Liverpool have raised their game to compete week in week out while others have dropped points they would normally expect to win.
Reds prosper with midfield axispublished at 11:44 29 April
11:44 29 April
Media caption,
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton believes Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have been "different class" in Liverpool's run to the Premier League title.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday night club, Sutton said: "I don't think anybody saw him [Gravenberch] playing that deeper midfield role but it's just shown what a talented footballer he is.
"You go back to Liverpool's recruitment and in 2023 all the talk of [Jude] Bellingham coming in, they signed these three [Mac Allister, Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai] that summer and they have been the mainstays."
Ex-Reds defender Stephen Warnock agreed and thinks Arne Slot's men have the perfect balance in their midfield.
"When you talk about Mac Allister and Gravenberch, I think they compliment each other so well," he said.
"Gravenberch drives it forward and Mac Allister is more than happy to sit there. He wins the ball back well for such a small player."
'It's very grown up' - the 'seamless' transition from Klopp to Slot?published at 09:19 29 April
09:19 29 April
BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club discusses how there was a "real thought process behind the scenes" in Liverpool's transition from Jurgen Klopp to Arne Slot, which culminated in the Reds winning a 20th top-flight title on Sunday.
Never to be forgotten - but possibly repeatedpublished at 08:56 29 April
08:56 29 April
Pat Nevin Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty Images
Mo Salah has signed up again as has Virgil van Dijk and neither appears to have been even slightly diminished by age, judging by my visit to Anfield on Sunday.
The midfield of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch were incredible, both exceptional defensively and offensively - but, more importantly, playing as a duo. They must have been horrible to play against, which is a huge compliment.
Add in Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai, and the average age of the quartet is still under 25. These midfielders are just coming into their prime and are set fair to be the next generation of trophy winners
On top of this, Liverpool will undoubtedly add more quality around them, possibly even a top-level striker, improving them from a side that has romped home as champions by a country mile.
The thing that stays with me is the joy on the face of every fan post-match. How many days can you truly say, with confidence, that you will never forget for the rest of your life?
Wherever you travelled from, whatever you paid, if you were in that stadium, it was a day seared in the memory if you were a red.
That is why we love football, every now and again it provides those life-affirming moments - and this was one for every fan, player or worker at that club.
Liverpool's title creates mysterious sequence...published at 08:13 29 April
08:13 29 April
A league title win like that of Liverpool's this season is always bound to throw up eye-catching numbers and records.
But one quite specific set of numbers as a result of this particular Premier League title will have piqued the interest of mathematicians and numbers fans alike.
By securing this trophy, the Reds have completed the start of an extraordinary mathematical concept that has been 33 years in the making - the Fibonacci sequence.
But what does that mean?
The Fibonacci sequence is a sequence in which each number (after the first two) is the sum of the previous two in the sequence.
By ranking Liverpool alongside the other clubs that have won the Premier League since it was first formed in 1992, listing them by the number of titles won and starting with the lowest, we can see the pattern emerge - 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13.
The reason why this is somewhat remarkable is that this is a sequence that can be found in an astonishing array of places – from the spirals of seeds on sunflower heads and the bracts of pinecones to family tree patterns in some species of animals. For it to crop up in the data on the number of Premier League title wins is surprising, and can lead to questions of whether it is just coincidence or something more.
However, with no plausible mechanism which could have given rise to the sequence, the answer is almost certainly nothing more. A pattern doesn't always mean causality - a coincidence is sometimes just a coincidence.
And so a Fibonacci sequences in the Premier League records is just that – nothing more than a spectacular but ultimately misleading coincidence.
Gossip: Reds to spend big in summer windowpublished at 07:22 29 April
07:22 29 April
Premier League champions Liverpool are set to invest heavily in their squad during the summer, with a centre-forward and left-back their priorities. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
'This is what it means to be champions' - Mac Allisterpublished at 18:14 28 April
18:14 28 April
Image source, Getty Images
Alexis Mac Allister on Instagram after winning his first Premier League title: "I never forget where I come from. From a family that taught me the value of hard work, from dreams born with an Irish surname and a truly Argentine heart.
"And today, from Liverpool, it writes an unforgettable chapter.
"When I joined this club, I knew it was a special place. But what I've experienced this year has gone beyond anything I ever imagined.
"Every training session, every match, every time I stepped onto the pitch at Anfield… I felt the weight of this shirt and the passion of a unique fanbase.
"It took hard work, commitment, giving everything in every moment. Because wearing this shirt isn't for just anyone… and because I've dreamt of this since I was a boy.
"Lifting the Premier League trophy with Liverpool is the dream come true. One that began many years ago, and today becomes reality.
"Thank you to my family, who were always there. Thank you to the club, for believing in me. Thank you to football, for giving me so much. And thank you to all of you, for making it eternal.
"This is Liverpool. This is what it means to be champions."
'Time had taken them' but football means they live onpublished at 18:14 28 April
18:14 28 April
Luke Reddy BBC Sport Senior Journalist
A last-minute winner, a comeback, an away day for the ages, a cup win, a league title.
Just some of football's sweetest elements. They do not arrive too frequently, they punctuate a season if you are lucky and yet, though they fleetingly come a fan's way, their memory lasts a lifetime.
Perhaps only one thing can make such moments of joy more significant - who you share them with.
A close friend, a spouse, a family member - a connection can take one's emotion and increase it by orders of magnitude.
Shortly before Liverpool's European Cup win in 2019, fan and renowned Kopite Stephen Monaghan formed part of an emotional video released by the club. In it, he explained such occasions took him to his father's graveside, where he would remember, ponder and wish he could share another day in the sun, another day of shared feeling, another day of being together, with their beloved Reds.
The big occasions crystallise the mind. The hullabaloo of daily life kind of stops because big things do that to you. The subsequent thinking space creates room to consider what those no longer with us would make of it all. What would they say? Could you feel their happiness? What would you give to do so? Such thoughts can be warming and cruel. You want them though, for reasons that run really deep.
Within the sensory overload of fireworks, flares and joy at Sunday's title-clinching day for Liverpool, one fan showed me a bit of what was going on inside.
Supporter Stephen Davies pointed to a bracelet he wore, one sporting an inscription which read 'Redmen gang of four... YNWA'.
He explained his friends Peter Walsh, Larry Snell and Tommy Lawton - all pictured with a young Stephen below - were no longer with us. Time had taken them. Stephen was left with memories of trips around the country and continent with a group of friends who had seen, felt and shared the joys of success and the tragedy of Hillsborough.
I asked him if he would think of them on this day and a subtle nod, illuminated with watery eyes, answered emphatically. They were alive in his thoughts.
There are thousands of Liverpool fans celebrating today and millions who no longer can.
Football, its highs and the human heart have a way of making sure those lost souls live on. What can be more special than that?
Why did Liverpool win the league?published at 16:48 28 April
16:48 28 April
Image source, Getty Images
So much has been written already to explain Arne Slot's achievement in leading Liverpool to their first title in five years.
But you know your club best.
So tell us why you think the Reds have cruised to the Premier League with four games to spare.
Not the most impressive of performances but a result that defines champions. two weeks after their first defeat of the season at home against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool were pegged back to 1-1 in the second-half but secured a huge win thanks to a Mohammed Salah penalty. It was a win that moved the Reds a point above both Arsenal and Manchester City in the early Premier League table.
When this game took place, Chelsea were emerging as genuine title contenders, but it was at this point in the season where Liverpool created a foundation that would make them runaway champions. Again, the Reds saw their lead eradicated in the second half but Curtis Jones restored it almost immediately and the celebrations at the end showed the win's importance. It was also a game that made Arne Slot the first Liverpool boss to win 10 of his first 11 matches in charge.
In a crucial three minutes, Liverpool switched this game from 1-0 down at home with 20 minutes to play and potentially relinquishing top spot, to a 2-1 lead and heading to the summit after all. It was the kind of comeback that truly has an Anfield assist as quickfire goals from Cody Gakpo and Salah secured a huge win, made all the more significant by Manchester City's loss to Bournemouth on the same day.
The game which made many Liverpool fans truly believe they could do it. The Reds had drawn their first two matches of 2025 and it looked more than likely to become three heading into stoppage time before the much-maligned Darwin Nunez had his moment of glory, scoring two in stoppage time in front of a raucous away end. It extended their lead to six points with a game in hand. The gap has only got bigger since.
This win secured Liverpool's first league double over Manchester City since Jurgen Klopp's first campaign in charge in 2016, and illustrated the chasm that has grown between the sides. This was a ruthless, peerless display, condensing the Reds' dominance of this season's Premier League into 90 minutes.
Konate deal 'needs sorting out'published at 16:47 28 April
16:47 28 April
Image source, Getty Images
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy says Ibrahima Konate's contract "needs sorting out" given the impact he and Virgil van Dijk have had at the heart of Liverpool's defence.
On Match of the Day 2, Murphy said: "There was a lot of talk about Gabriel and William Saliba for a couple of seasons but these two have matched them this season.
"Look at the numbers when they play together compared to when they don't. It really is stark.
"We don't want to be in the same position next summer, Konate has only got a year left so that needs sorting out."
The pair have started together in the Premier League ten more times so far this season than last. Liverpool's points per game is up from 2 to 2.4 and their win percentage is up from 59 to 74.
Earlier this season Konate missed six games with a knee injury. During that time Liverpool shipped nine goals. The Reds drew two of those games - 3-3 at Newcastle and 2-2 at home to Fulham. They did win the other four - one of which was the 6-3 at Tottenham.
Former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given agreed with Murphy's assessment: "On the back of a brilliant season, you have to tie him [Konate] down. You would imagine Van Dijk as well will be in Konate's ear, saying this could be the start of something major at the club."
