Six days to go: Jürgen Klopp aiming to extend opening-day record
Jürgen Klopp will aim to extend his impressive record with Liverpool in opening games of a Premier League season when they host Leeds United next Saturday.
The German has chalked up three victories and a draw in four top-flight curtain-raisers since taking charge of the Reds back in 2015, with his side scoring at least three goals on each occasion.
And Klopp’s form in first matches is the subject of our latest preview to the forthcoming term as we examine a series of themes and subplots ahead of 2020-21.
Having taken the reins partway through a season, Klopp’s introduction to the opening day in England came in August 2016 in the shape of a trip to Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal.
Little over an hour into the contest, debutant Sadio Mane was sprinting over to the boss for a touchline celebration after a scintillating solo goal made it 4-1 to his team, who had earlier trailed.
The Gunners mounted a late comeback but Klopp’s men edged the thriller, one that would have ramifications at the very end of 2016-17 as the Reds claimed fourth place – and qualification for the Champions League – at their opponents’ expense.
A year on, another goalfest ensued, with new signing Mohamed Salah on target when a topsy-turvy tie with Watford at Vicarage Road ended 3-3, to date the only time the Reds have not won their Premier League opener under the current boss.
The Hornets actually required a last-minute leveller from Miguel Britos to thwart their visitors and deny Klopp what would be an unblemished record in this category.
In each of the past two campaigns, Liverpool have laid a marker for their ambitions with emphatic results to begin the schedule, beating West Ham United 4-0 in 2018 and Norwich City 4-1 the following year – both at Anfield.
Those two results set the Reds on course for successive club-record points tallies, with 97 and 99 amassed respectively, the latter making Klopp’s men champions.
However, Leeds will journey to the home of the title-holders this year boasting an unbeaten record in their previous 12 opening fixtures of a Premier League season.
Indeed, the Yorkshire club have played more Premier League games on matchday one without losing than any other team in the competition’s history, with five wins and seven draws.
Did you know?
- This will be Klopp’s first Premier League match against Leeds; he has beaten all 28 of the previous teams he has faced in the division.
- Salah is looking to become the second player to score on the opening day in four consecutive Premier League seasons, after Teddy Sheringham (1992-93 to 1995-96). No Liverpool player has ever scored on matchday one for four consecutive seasons in the club’s league history.
- The Reds are unbeaten in their last eight games against Leeds in all competitions – six victories and two draws.