It was a difficult week for Liverpool. No one could argue with the defeats to PSG in Europe and then Newcastle United at Wembley, but that didn't make it any easier to stomach.
Arne Slot's side is now "only" going to win the Premier League — a prize that any Reds supporter would have snapped your hand off for just a few months ago. Liverpool fans will soon line the streets of the city to celebrate and this time, there will be no global pandemic to mean the trophy lift is only in front of a handful of people.
Unlike the league title that was secured under Jurgen Klopp, this will feel like a major moment for fans to celebrate alongside one another, just as was the case with the Champions League victory of 2019. Given the long wait, it is set to be even more special.
READ MORE: Sky Sports sends warning to pundits over Man City charges as Liverpool watches on
READ MORE: 'I agree with Arne Slot's blunt Federico Chiesa stance as Liverpool faces $13M wait'
Losing in the last-16 to PSG was unfortunate. Liverpool topped the group phase and its reward was to play arguably the best team in the competition alongside Real Madrid. Facing a fired up Newcastle just a few days later was untimely too, even if Virgil van Dijk insisted post-match at Wembley that the extra-time period hadn't played a role in the poor showing that followed.
Looking leggy and mentally fatigued, though, Liverpool deservedly lost to Eddie Howe's side. It was out-fought and out-battled with the physical Sandro Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes proving too strong and intense.
In the last week, Liverpool has undoubtedly struggled in a few areas. Mohamed Salah was anonymous against Newcastle in particular, while Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have flattered to deceive. Luis Diaz has not had as good a second half of the season as he did in the first few months of the campaign and Cody Gakpo has barely been able to run after returning from injury.
Tonali, Joelinton, and Guimaraes made Alexis Mac Allister look average at best, while Ryan Gravenberch has been run into the ground having played more minutes than ever before. Andy Robertson has struggled all season and Trent Alexander-Arnold has had a couple of ill-timed injuries.
That is a long list of things that could have gone better. And yet, now feels like a good time to return to the point at the start: Liverpool is about to confirm itself as the English champion, achieving the very thing that fans all over the world have craved more than anything.
By next season, Manchester City will have invested heavily again and Arsenal should improve. But the pair are coming from a long way back — there is a 22 and 12-point gap respectively in the table as things stand. More importantly, Liverpool should get better too.
Left-back and number nine are obvious places to upgrade in the starting XI, though admittedly, the Reds will need to tie down some key men to new contracts to maintain their current position. Regardless, Liverpool is in the strongest position of anyone in the Premier League and each possible contender in 2026 has questions to answer.
"Next season will be the first time I predict Liverpool will win the league at the start of the season," Jamie Carragher said on the 'It's Called Soccer podcast at the end of last month. "I really do believe Liverpool will do it again.
"Arne Slot will know those players so much better than a year ago and he knows the deficiencies in the squad. I am excited that he will look to improve the squad as well.
"It is great to get level with United but I think Liverpool has a really big opportunity in the summer to kick on again under Slot. I think there is a real opportunity for Liverpool to go above Manchester United in terms of league titles."
For all that the two results in the week just gone were frustrating and costly, it is important to look at the season as a whole for a true reflection of where Liverpool stands. It is going to win the league title — and yet that isn't even the most exciting thing.
If this is what Slot's team looks like without any major signings and with a couple of areas glaringly calling out to be upgraded, that can only mean one thing. The best of Liverpool under the Dutchman is firmly yet to come, despite the bar already being at league-title-winning level.
