Liverpool face a monumental task in their title defence in 2025/26
Why Liverpool Won’t Lift the Premier League Title in 2025/26
Liverpool may be basking in the glory of their latest Premier League triumph, but history, circumstance, and sheer competition suggest that a successful defence of their crown in the 2025/26 season is anything but guaranteed. While the bookmakers may have them installed among the favourites, recent patterns and growing challenges around them offer plenty of reasons to believe the trophy could be heading elsewhere next May.
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A Title Defence Liverpool Have Rarely Managed
For all their rich history and passionate support, Liverpool’s record when it comes to defending Premier League titles is, frankly, totally underwhelming. Since the division’s rebranding in 1992, the Reds have lifted the trophy just twice. Their last attempt to retain it — following the memorable 2019/20 season — ended in disappointment, with injuries, inconsistency, and a fierce challenge from Manchester City leaving them well off the pace.
There’s no denying Liverpool have the quality, but consistently dominating a league as fiercely competitive as the Premier League is a feat that very few clubs manage. One successful defence in over three decades is a telling statistic and casts considerable doubt over whether they can summon the same intensity again in 2025/26.
Rivals Ready to Strike Back
Manchester City are unlikely to remain quiet for long. Pep Guardiola’s men will be smarting from losing their grip on the title, and history suggests they respond to setbacks with frightening efficiency. With their financial might, squad depth and managerial genius, City are bound to be stronger next season — and a refreshed, re-motivated side could be a major stumbling block for Liverpool’s hopes.
Arsenal, too, are knocking loudly on the door. After pushing Liverpool hard this season, Mikel Arteta’s young, evolving side will believe they are ready to go one step further. Add the resurgence of Newcastle United, the unpredictability of Manchester United, and the potential revival of Chelsea under new leadership, and it’s clear Liverpool’s path to the title could be strewn with obstacles.
Squad Depth and Aging Stars
Liverpool’s starting eleven remains one of the strongest in England, but scratch beneath the surface and vulnerabilities start to appear. Several key figures — including Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Andy Robertson — are now the wrong side of 30. While experience is invaluable, age is unforgiving in a league where pace, energy and relentlessness are non-negotiable.
The demands of competing across multiple fronts could stretch their resources, especially if injuries strike at crucial times, as has happened in previous campaigns. While Arne Slot has injected freshness and energy into the side, questions remain about whether Liverpool have the squad depth to withstand the long, gruelling slog of another title race.
Psychological Pressure
Winning the title is one thing; defending it is quite another. The weight of expectation from fans, the media, and within the club itself can be suffocating. Every opponent raises their game against the champions, and the mental fatigue of living up to those expectations week after week should not be underestimated.
In the 2020/21 season, following their first Premier League triumph, Liverpool struggled badly under the burden. With new challengers more desperate than ever, the psychological battle could prove just as pivotal as the physical one.
Monumental Task
Liverpool’s latest title win deserves all the plaudits, but repeating the trick will be a monumental task. With aging legs, fierce competition, and the heavy burden of expectation to contend with, there are plenty of reasons to believe that the Premier League trophy will not be returning to Anfield at the end of the 2025/26 season.
As history has shown, maintaining dominance in English football is a challenge that very few can master — and while Liverpool will surely fight bravely, the odds of back-to-back titles look far slimmer than many at Anfield would like to admit.
