Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker does not believe history is repeating itself and insists it is futile making comparisons between the current Premier League leaders and the team which won a first title in 30 years in 2020.
The Brazil international said success this season will not “erase the things we did in the past” but believes Arne Slot’s team deserve to be judged on their own merits and not compared to the Jurgen Klopp side which won a host of trophies and reached three Champions League finals.
Victory over Leicester on Boxing Day, coupled with Chelsea’s shock home defeat to Fulham, allowed Liverpool to extend their advantage at the top of the table.
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Inevitably that has led to comparisons with Christmas 2019, when in almost identical circumstances – rivals had played 19 matches, one more than Liverpool – Klopp’s team had a 13-point cushion at the top having won 17 and drawn one of their games.
While the current gap is not quite that big it is starting to feel like it is Liverpool’s year again, but Alisson will not make that assumption.
“I don’t think it’s too similar, (it’s) two different teams. A few players still play in the team but we have a little bit different style now, more ball possession, before it was really straightforward: a lot of transition, a lot of intensity,” he said ahead of the trip to West Ham.
“That team was really special, we achieved great things, it was the first Premier League title for this club in a long time. We achieved the Champions League together as well, the season before.
“I think there’s no comparison with both situations. I think it’s different players, different managers, a lot of more different things than similarities.
“I believe we don’t have to compare ourselves with the teams in the past, we have to create our own history.
“We’re not going to erase the things we did in the past that were really special and be always in the history of this club.”
Of the 20-man squad named to face Leicester, eight had experience of winning the title four years ago and that included Alisson and the back four who played in front of him on Thursday night.
Liverpool are flying high at the top of the Premier League (Peter Byrne/PA)
Only Mohamed Salah remains of their famous front three but the changes on the forward line are starting to bear fruit with Cody Gakpo’s goal against the Foxes taking him into double figures for the season, behind only the Egypt international and Luis Diaz.
Alexis Mac Allister was a close second for man of the match against Leicester and, together with Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, he has helped revitalise an overhauled midfield.
“Just what makes me happy is to see that this group of players,” added Alisson.
“We have a few players that are playing here long enough, that experienced the highest peak of maybe the Jurgen Klopp era and the lowest as well.
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“So all these kind of things you can use as a boost of energy and we can see the quality we have so that’s something else that brings you energy and makes you put a lot of effort in to achieve good things those players deserve.
“We know that in the future we’re going to remember more about the good moments that you had together in football.
“Winning is not everything, of course, but it’s a big part of football so I want to remember this team as a winning team.
“We have the quality to do something special and the most important thing is the commitment that is needed to win something is there, and the passion, the desire.
“We are hungry and we want to win every game in front of us and that’s all we are focused on at the moment.”