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After years and years of hurt, Liverpool are finally set to end their league drought, as they march on towards their first-ever Premier League title. The Reds won their last domestic league trophy back in 1989/90 when it was still called the First Division. However, with just four wins to go and no other team within touching distance, Jurgen Klopp's men are champions-elect.
Liverpool's dominance this season has been the source of many debates, with fans questioning whether the current side is indeed the best in the history of the English league. Those who pledge their loyalty to the red half of Merseyside have argued in the affirmative.
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While the Reds' achievements this season cannot be overlooked, they cannot be called the 'greatest Premier League side' just yet. That particular title is still up for grabs and is often circulated between several other remarkable teams of the past.
And so, to become the best, they will have to beat the best - or at least the records set by them. We take a look at four such necessary boxes which the current Liverpool side needs to tick to be considered the greatest ever.
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#1 Hit the century in points
Pep Guardiola's second season at Manchester City is when the club finally came to life. The Spaniard got rid of the deadwood and spent big on reinforcements to create an unstoppable machine that marched on to collect a record one hundred points. That benchmark set by the Manchester club is the first milestone this Liverpool side needs to achieve in their quest to become the greatest ever.
Given their current points tally and form, the Reds look to be heading for that mark. Moreover, should they continue on their rampage, they will be able to easily sail past the target and create a new points record altogether.
Jurgen Klopp's men have won twenty-six of the twenty-seven matches so far, beating each of the other nineteen teams in the league at least once. They have dropped points only on one occasion, during a one-all draw against bitter rivals Manchester United.
With eleven matches remaining in the 2019/20 season, Liverpool will hit the one hundred mark should they win just seven of those. Luckily for them, seven of their eleven matches yet to be played this season are against teams currently placed in the bottom half of the table.
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#2 Join the 'Invincibles' club
Twenty-four teams have won the English First Division in the past, with six of those winning at least one title since the rebranding of the competition into the Premier League. Only twice in its 131-year-old history has a side gone through an entire season unbeaten and ended up lifting the trophy.
Preston North End became the original 'Invincibles' when they won the first-ever football league title in 1889. Their record remained intact for a staggering one-hundred-and-fifteen years and was only broken when Arsene Wenger led Arsenal to an unbeaten season in the 2003/04 campaign. Many sides have tried to match that record since but have fallen short.
Liverpool are certain to go for the 'Invincibles' title this season, given their current position. The Reds only need to get a positive result in eleven remaining matches of the season, during which they face seven of the bottom-ten sides. Their remaining four fixtures will see them face Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Burnley.
#3 Win the treble
Over the years, many iterations of Manchester United have thrown their names in the hat for the title of the greatest Premier League side ever. However, the one that has perhaps come the closest is the team that Sir Alex Ferguson put together for the 1998/99 season as it became the first club in English football history to win the treble.
In footballing terms, a treble is an achievement that a certain club can accomplish by winning their domestic league title, their domestic cup, and finally, the premier European cup. During the 1998/99 season, Manchester United won all three competitions. The Red Devils finished one point above Arsenal to win the league, beat Newcastle United two-nil to win the FA Cup, and completed a remarkable stoppage-time comeback against Bayern Munich to win the Champions League.
Winning the treble is considered one of Ferguson's finest feats in England, one which Jurgen Klopp must now match with his Liverpool side to be called the greatest Premier League side ever. The Reds remain on track to do so as well, with all three trophies still in sight.
#4 Sustain their title charge over the years
Manchester United's treble-winning 1998/99 season is considered one of their finest campaigns under Sir Alex Ferguson. However, the Scotsman's greatest-ever accomplishment cannot be narrowed down to a single term. Instead, his ability to sustain a title charge over the years while also challenging for other domestic and international trophies consistently is what makes his Red Devils team the greatest Premier League side in history.
Ferguson created a dynasty at Old Trafford which lasted more than two decades. During this time the Manchester giants won thirty-eight trophies, thirteen of which were Premier League titles. Furthermore, the Scot led them to three consecutive titles twice while also winning a traditional treble in a single season.
Manchester United under Ferguson faced the most challenging opponent - time - and came out on top. Many sides have tried to create dynasties of their own and failed. Both Chelsea and Arsenal have won multiple titles in the past but failed to sustain their trophy haul over a considerable period. Manchester City, on the other hand, are relatively new to the scene.
Now, it is Liverpool who have stepped up to the pedestal to challenge Ferguson's Manchester United. Jurgen Klopp's men have been completely dominant this season but are yet to face the test of time. Should they, like their bitter rivals, sustain their charge over the years, then and only then can they be crowned as the greatest Premier League side ever.
