Andoni Iraola must copy Chelsea to reignite Liverpool after Arne Slot struggles
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It will be difficult for Liverpool to reclaim the Premier League title under Andoni Iraola at the first time of asking but not impossibleLiverpool were favourites to win the Premier League last season, heading into the campaign as defending champions and having overseen a £450m spending spree which saw them break the British transfer record twice. Since the inaugural Premier League campaign in 1992/93, the title has been reclaimed at the first attempt on nine occasions.
And while the majority are admittedly the sides of Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola bouncing back strongly, two of the three most recent occasions have instead come under new management.Chelsea won the league under Jose Mourinho in 2014/15, only to part company with the Portuguese in December 2015 in the midst of what became - at that time - the worst ever Premier League defence in 2015/16.However, the Londoners then enjoyed an extraordinary campaign under new head coach Antonio Conte in 2016/17 to reclaim the title at the first attempt.Chelsea recorded the then second-highest points tally in Premier League history (93), and managed to break the record for number of wins in a season (30). Meanwhile, they also equalled the then-record for most consecutive wins in a campaign (13).Meanwhile, Liverpool were the side to miss out when Man City reclaimed the Premier League title under new management in 2013/14.Roberto Mancini had led the Cityzens to their first ever Premier League title in 2011/12, only to lose his job in May 2013 just days after City’s shock FA Cup final defeat to Wigan Athletic.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!
All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook pageWhile he had not overseen an awful title defence, City finished second in the table - 11 points behind champions Manchester United - and were also knocked out in the Champions League group-stages.Consequently, the club said the failure to hit "stated targets" and the need to "develop a holistic approach to all aspects of football at the club" prompted the sacking.Manuel Pellegrini was appointed as Mancini’s successor and led City to the Premier League title at the first attempt, pipping Liverpool by just two points as the Reds were left to rue a Steven Gerrard slip against Chelsea and the surrender of a 3-0 lead away at Crystal Palace.The Chilean also led City into the Champions League knockout stages for the first time, while they won two trophies in a season for the first time since 1969/70 courtesy of a League Cup win in March 2014.Admittedly Conte’s Chelsea and Pellegrini’s City were much better-placed than Iraola’s Liverpool to instantly challenge for the title.City bolstered Pellegrini’s squad with a £91m splurge on Fernandinho, Jesus Navas, Alvaro Negredo, Steven Jovetic and Martin Demichelis. No-one expected Slot’s side to win the Premier League at the first time of asking in 2024/25, following Jurgen Klopp’s departure, and the same is true again.But while the Reds might not be in as strong a state as they found themselves two years ago ahead of their last title-winning campaign, Man City and Chelsea have both at least shown them the way when it comes to bouncing back stronger.