Beware Liverpool - 5 Of The Worst Premier League Leaders' Title Flops

Beware Liverpool - 5 Of The Worst Premier League Leaders' Title Flops
22:25, 30 Jan 2019

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool couldn’t take advantage of a gift from their well-remembered former manager Rafa Benitez as the Reds played out a 1-1 draw with Leicester City at Anfield this evening.

Last night’s defeat of Manchester City by the Magpies had meant that a victory would have sent the leaders seven points clear at the top but, alas, their cushion is only five points now.

It was a nervy night around Anfield, even after Sadio Mane stroked the home side into a lead just two minutes in, and it only got worse as the tale of the evening unfolded.

While tonight’s showing may be marked down as a poor day at the office, a five point lead coming into February is still a respectable one and Liverpool are still very much in the driving seat.

But should the Reds fail to push on and secure that much-coveted first league title of the Premier League era, they’ll join this less-than illustrious list.

Something to steer away from, then, as Klopp and his men continue on their journey.

Newcastle United (1995-96)

Poor old Kevin Keegan’s ‘I would love it’ rant is perhaps only rivalled by Rafa Benitez's ‘Facts’ number for the most iconic pre-title chase derailment speech in the league’s history.

The swashbuckling Magpies team of Les Ferdinand and Co. couldn’t finish the job of course, having been 12 points to the good in January, and fell to second having been ground down by Alex Ferguson’s irrepressible Manchester United outfit of the time.

Manchester United (1997-98)

Keegan will, you’d have though, have ‘loved’ watching Ferguson’s men nosedive like his had done so painfully just two seasons prior.

Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal trailed United by 11 points at one stage during the tail end of this season but went on to do the double over their northern rivals and pull ahead of them in the title race.

But there seems to be a certain symmetry in these things and, within another fistful of years, the Red Devils were to have their revenge over the Frenchman.

Arsenal (2002-03)

By this time Wenger’s revolution at Highbury was in full swing, they would of course go on to complete a league season unbeaten the following term.

But this one didn’t go as smoothly.

The Gunners had hared out in front of the chasing pack and led by eight points by March of ‘03.

But Ferguson’s men put together an almost flawless run in the remaining games of the season to emerge from that pack and pull ahead.

They were to finish with five points in hand of their great rival of that age. A sore one. 

Arsenal (2007-08)

The Gunners recovered from the disappointment of a Champions League final loss to Barcelona in 2006 and the loss of their talisman in Thierry Henry to that same foe in 2007 quite well.

A sparkling start to their first season in the post-Henry era went badly west in the Spring, with one horrific run between February and April seeing them blow a five-point lead and putting paid to their chances.

Manchester United were champions - of course - and Arsenal were down in third.

Liverpool (2013-14)

Well, we did say something about symmetry.

Brendan Rodgers’ side, and his ‘SAS’ frontline treated fans to some superb football and had their destiny in their own hands as they aimed to bring that elusive bit of tin to Merseyside for the first time since Dalglish and company managed it.

It wasn’t to be, though, as the Reds blew a three point lead over a pursuing Manchester City side with just three games left to get over the line.

That famous slip started the slump, and getting caught out by Crystal Palace while searching for a goal difference-themed fairytale ended it.

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