Liverpool

Where Titles Are Won

Tough week for Liverpool.  Up 3 with 12 minutes to play, only to ship three goals to Crystal Palace and watch the Premiership fade away...

I love Mignolet...but he's the heart of a defense that ranks #9 in the league in goals against.  Crystal Palace, coincidentally, rank #7.  Liverpool have contrived to earn 81 points while conceding 49 goals in 37 games.  Crystal Palace have amassed 44 points with 46 goals against.

Offense can, indeed, get you close.  But defense wins titles.

Chelsea and City gave up 26 (though 37 matches) and 37 (through 37 matches) respectively.  And their goal differentials compared to Liverpool (+50); Chelsea (+43); City (+63) are close enough.

Things have been crazy this year, so Chelsea have a puncher's chance, but City are going to win it, in all likelihood on the basis of a better defense than the challengers...and yet we fetishize those glory-boys up front.  The offense can't be toothless, but neither can it make up for a porous defense.  Look for the Reds to do some serious shopping this summer for the back line...