April 28, 1990. Under the inspirational guidance and motivation of iconic player-manager, Kenny Dalglish, it was the triumphant day when Liverpool last won the league title; Dalglish was voted as Liverpool’s greatest-ever player in club history.
The Reds legendary 1989-1990 league title victory on April 28, 1990 marked one year thereafter the catastrophic Hillsborough Disasater which transpired on April 15, 1989. The aggressive resilience and fighting spirit of the city and the club continued in and thereafter the face of adversity.
Since April 28, 1990, the Hillsborough Disaster has since had a tremendous effect on the community and bereaved families throughout Merseyside and Liverpool F.C. It was a harrowing day which witnessed 96 innocent lives tragically lost followed by subsequent years of grave injustice and well-documented public defamation to the families of the 96 who perished on that unforgettable day. Five years prior to the Hillsborough Disaster, Liverpool experienced heartbreak and dispair courtesy of the infamous Heysel Stadium Disaster. 39 lives were lost and a further 600 people were injured in the confrontation in Belgium.
Since April 28, 1990, however, Liverpool have witnessed various majestic glories throughout its very rich history which have added further indelible chapters, notably the 2000-2001 season treble (UEFA Cup, F.A Cup and League Cup) under Frenchman, Gerard Houllier.
Moreover, the beloved Rafa Benitez era brought further glory to Anfield which witnessed the club winning the UEFA Champions League in 2005, as well as the F.A Cup in 2006. The Spaniard also steered Liverpool to winning the UEFA Super Cup in 2005, as well as the Community Shield in 2006.
In 2007, Liverpool returned to the UEFA Champions League Final against A.C Milan. The Reds lost 2-1 to the Italian giants courtesy of two goals from Filippo Inzaghi.
Since Jurgen Klopp’s high-profile arrival to Liverpool in 2015, the ever-charismatic German tactician has arguably become Liverpool’s most beloved manager since Rafa Benitez. Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish are universally revered as Liverpool’s most successful managers in club history.
Since April 28, 1990, Liverpool have officially finished as runners-up in the league four times. Furthermore, the Reds have placed between third and fifth position in the league on 14 occasions since April 1990. In addition, Since April 28, 1990, Liverpool have finished outside of the top six on 10 separates times.
During the decade of the 1990s, Liverpool won just two trophies after their 1989-1990 season league title triumph (Community Shield in 1990 and League Cup in 1995), as well as being runners up in the 1996 F.A Cup Final. The 1990s was unequivocally a decade of underachievement and growing pains for the Reds.
During the Gerard Houllier era, Liverpool finished 7th in the league in 1998-1999, 4th in 1999-2000, 3rd in 2000-2001, 2nd in 2001-2002, 5th in 2002-2003 and 4th in the 2003-2004 season. Houllier guided Liverpool to the runners-up position in the Premier League once during his six year tenure at Anfield.
During Liverpool’s millennium years in the mid-00s under Rafa Benitez, Liverpool finished 5th in the league 2004-2005, 3rd in 2005-2006, 3rd in 2006-2007, 4th in 2007-2008, 2nd in 2008-2009 and 7th in the 2009-2010 season. Like Houllier before him, Benitez guided Liverpool to the runners-up position once in the Premier League during his six year tenure at Anfield.
Since Klopp’s arrival at Anfield, the German guided Liverpool to 8th position in the league in 2015-2016, 4th in the league in 2016-2017 and 4th once again in the 2017-2018 season.
Since his appointment at Liverpool, Klopp has never advanced Liverpool further than the fourth round of the F.A Cup, whereas Liverpool were runners-up in the League Cup Final (2015-2016) and additionally runners-up in the UEFA Champions League in 2017-2018.
According to betmaker William Hill, Liverpool are currently 10/3 favorites to win the Premier League in the 2018-2019 season. Since April 28, 1990, it has been an arduos wait for the league title for Liverpool.
The question is: Can Liverpool become Premier League champions this season?