Liverpool are Premier League champs

Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a top-flight title is over after Manchester City lost 2-1 at Chelsea to confirm the Reds as Premier League champions.

Jurgen Klopp’s side needed one victory to seal the league but City’s failure to win means they cannot be caught.

It is Liverpool’s 19th top-flight title and their first since 1989-90.

Despite being urged to “stay home” by the city’s metro mayor because of coronavirus, thousands of fans gathered at Anfield to celebrate.

Many of the supporters who congregated at the club’s ground wore face masks and some lit flares.

A number of Reds players, including goalkeeper Alisson, defender Virgil van Dijk and midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, celebrated together after watching the Chelsea-City game.

Klopp, wearing a Liverpool shirt and clearly emotional, told Sky Sports: “It is unbelievable. It’s much more than I ever thought would be possible.

“It’s an incredible achievement by my players and it’s a huge joy for me to coach them.

“I haven’t waited 30 years, I have been here for four-and-a-half years, but it is quite an achievement, especially with the three-month break because nobody knew if we could go on.

“I know it is difficult for people in this moment but we could not hold back. We will enjoy this with our supporters when we can.”

As the global pandemic disrupted life in England and led to the suspension of the Premier League for three months, Reds supporters endured a nervous wait to see how the season would be concluded, with some early suggestions it might have been declared null and void, thus wiping their remarkable efforts from the record books.

Thankfully for them, that did not come to pass, and the Premier League’s return this month enabled them to cap their stunning success.

However, because of the measures put in place in response to the virus, the Reds will not be able to celebrate their long-awaited success with their supporters immediately, at least not in the traditional sense.

As with Wednesday’s impressive 4-0 win over Crystal Palace, when they next play at Anfield – against Aston Villa on Sunday, 5 July, and for their two other remaining home games – it will be behind closed doors.

As things stand it also seems unlikely they will be able to partake in any of the usual public events in Liverpool, such as an open-top bus parade around the city.

By quirk of fate, though, the next time they take to the field will be at the side they have beaten to this season’s title and who pipped them so narrowly last campaign, Manchester City.

Following their defeat at Chelsea, City boss Pep Guardiola congratulated Liverpool on their title success.

Winning the title was always the main aim for a club which had endured such a long wait to be crowned champions of England again, having earned that honour 11 times between 1973 and 1990.

But having achieved that ambition things could get better yet, with City’s 100-point total for a season one of numerous records Liverpool can still break.

Klopp’s side have produced one of the most memorable campaigns in Premier League history, amassing 86 points already, with a record of 28 victories, two draws and a single defeat from their 31 games.

Such has been their dominance, at one stage they led the table by 25 points – a record gap between a side in first and second in English top-flight history.

Also still a possibility are the most wins in a season (the record is 32), most home wins (18), most away wins (16) and biggest winning margin (19 points).

Their title win this season is the earliest on record, at least with regard to games remaining, with the Reds having seven still to play.

That it is not the earliest title win by date is only because of the halting of football in England between March and May as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. (BBC)