'I’ve swapped Man City for Liverpool and will witness new era at top of the Premier League'
For the past seven years, there is no denying who England’s premier club has been. But things are changing at the Premier League summit.
Had Manchester City won in Sunday’s Manchester derby, talk of a renewed title tilt may suddenly have blossomed. A victory would have left Pep Guardiola’s side six points off the league leaders - albeit having played a game extra.
Instead, the lackluster finish at the Etihad underlined how far this current iteration is from the great City teams of recent years. Two seasons ago, that game would have been settled long before it entered the final stages, but now City lack confidence, self-belief and the ability to dominate games. It can’t muster a defense of its Premier League crown and a shift is coming at the top of English football.
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Liverpool is best placed to take immediate advantage, as the league table obviously shows. Few expected that at the start of the season given the underwhelming end to Jurgen Klopp’s tenure at Anfield and the immediate challenges facing Arne Slot, who didn’t make any real upgrades to his squad over the summer.
It makes his impact in such a short space of time even more remarkable, and the former Feyenoord boss has taken the outstanding assets handed to him by Klopp, given them a polish and a few tweaks, and suddenly Liverpool looks unstoppable. It’s no surprise that Guardiola was asked ahead of the recent trip to Anfield whether Liverpool is the best team in the world, a question he rather grumpily shot down.
The shift in the upper echelons of English football is particularly riveting to me. Up until last week I was one of a handful of journalists who covered City week in, week out. But when the opportunity arose to join Liverpool.com and report on the Premier League’s newly emerging force, it was one I couldn’t turn down.
Now, I won’t try and spin this as a decision made on the basis of results this season. Like most major life decisions it was based on what suited my family and I best. I live in Liverpool and am surrounded by Reds (although I don’t support the club myself - or any in the North West for that matter). So the choice to move into Liverpool coverage will save my weekly commute and keep the in-laws happy. That’s before factoring in the rich and varied content on the website. It was a no-brainer.
But the rise of Slot’s Reds did make the decision more appealing, especially when it has intriguingly coincided with City’s rapid downward spiral. It will take the reigning champions a while to discover its poise and majesty - that’s if it can at all, and Guardiola’s admission that he is ‘not good enough’ on Sunday was a remarkable claim.
Whatever happens, the Catalan’s time in the Premier League is drawing to a close. Many expected this to be his final campaign, and personally I think there’ll be a new man in the hot seat by the start of the 2026/27 campaign. Along with the departure of Klopp earlier this year, Guardiola’s exit will mark the end of an era in the Premier League, with the last decade dominated by the two distinguished coaches.
Erik ten Hag famously said that ‘eras come to an end’, and he hoped to be the man that could flourish in a new Premier League age. Instead, it’s another bald Dutchman who looks best placed to oversee England’s next great side. Liverpool has all the ingredients needed to thrive over the coming years: a talented squad, an excellent coach, a winning DNA that runs through the club and a fanbase who are yearning for more success.
Arsenal, United and City could also claim it’s them in the prime position to kick on in a new Premier League era, but a title win for Liverpool this season would be a huge head start. Whether the Reds can continue to perform with such aplomb is another fascinating aspect of the coming weeks and months, as will how Slot and the team respond to the first major setback.
Liverpool fans are also desperate to know what the future holds for three key players: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah - should any of the trio leave it will be a huge hole that needs to be filled. Likewise, how does Liverpool move on from Alisson and Andy Robertson when their exits inevitably materialise over the next few years?
If Michael Edwards can identify the sort of solutions he routinely found during his first spell on Merseyside then the post-Klopp rebuild should be an exciting time for Reds. It’s something I’m looking forward to covering, as my attention shifts down the M62. Reporting on this great club is an honor and one I’m thrilled to be undertaking.
