Liverpool won their first Premier League title in 2020. This came following Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Manchester City, and the team looked to do this yet again in 2021.
The current performance of the team presents the question, Was the team’s performance left behind last year?
There are only 15 games yet to play for Liverpool, and they could still improve significantly, but after the remarks made by Roy Keane (And others on social media) are Liverpool actually doing as bad of a job as everyone thinks?
Let’s compare;
| SEASON | DEFENDING CHAMPIONS | POINTS | POINTS PER GAME | POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | Liverpool | 40* | 1.74* | 4* |
| 2019/20 | Man City | 81 | 2.13 | 2 |
| 2018/19 | Man City | 98 | 2.58 | 1 |
| 2017/18 | Chelsea | 70 | 1.84 | 5 |
| 2016/17 | Leicester | 44 | 1.16 | 10 |
| 2015/16 | Chelsea | 50 | 1.32 | 12 |
| 2014/15 | Man City | 79 | 2.08 | 2 |
| 2013/14 | Man United | 64 | 1.68 | 7 |
| 2012/13 | Man City | 78 | 2.05 | 2 |
| 2011/12 | Man United | 89 | 2.34 | 2 |
| 2010/11 | Chelsea | 71 | 1.87 | 2 |
| 2009/10 | Man United | 85 | 2.24 | 2 |
| 2008/09 | Man United | 90 | 2.37 | 1 |
| 2007/08 | Man United | 87 | 2.29 | 1 |
| 2006/07 | Chelsea | 83 | 2.18 | 2 |
| 2005/06 | Chelsea | 91 | 2.39 | 1 |
| 2004/05 | Arsenal | 83 | 2.18 | 2 |
| 2003/04 | Man United | 75 | 1.97 | 3 |
| 2002/03 | Arsenal | 78 | 2.05 | 2 |
| 2001/02 | Man United | 77 | 2.03 | 3 |
| 2000/01 | Man United | 80 | 2.11 | 1 |
| 1999/00 | Man United | 91 | 2.39 | 1 |
| 1998/99 | Arsenal | 78 | 2.05 | 2 |
| 1997/98 | Man United | 77 | 2.03 | 2 |
| 1996/97 | Man United | 75 | 1.97 | 1 |
| 1995/96 | Blackburn | 61 | 1.61 | 7 |
| 1994/95 | Man United | 88 | 2.10 | 2 |
| 1993/94 | Man United | 92 | 2.19 | 1 |
The table above shows that only Leicester in 2016/17, Chelsea in 2015/16, Man United in 2013/14 and Blackburn in 1995/96 have fewer PPG in the season as defending champions compared to Liverpool this season.
With just 15 games still to go (As of this article) they could still make the Champions League but retaining the Championship might now be out of reach for them.