Liverpool in 2020: Analysing three most controversial moments of The Reds

Liverpool is the defending champion of the English Premier League, having won the title last season, after 30 years. The club is currently placed atop the table in the ongoing season. It is the second most successful club in the EPL, after Manchester United.

First Published Dec 27, 2020, 12:10 PM IST

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Liverpool is one of the most successful clubs in England. Meanwhile, its resurgence of late has had pundits and fans talking, as everyone seems to be enjoying it.

The year 2020 has been a bane for the entire world, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it has been a boon for Liverpool, that won its 19th English Premier League (EPL) title, after a 30-year drought.

In 2020, it has been on a smooth ride so far, as it dominates on the top of the table. However, it too had its share of ups and downs, as we take a look at its controversial moments of 2020.

Knocked out by Atletico Madrid in UCL: A couple of seasons back, Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League, that led to its resurgence, as it went on to win the EPL title last season. However, the previous season saw it getting ousted in the pre-quarters to Spanish giant, Atletico Madrid. Although Atletico is a tough team, ging by Liverpool's recent good run, it was highly unexpected of the side. Furthermore, the decision to start with the second-best goalkeeper, Adrian, turned out to be controversial, as Atletico nailed it in the second leg's extra time. Indeed, beginning with Alisson would have produced a different result on the day.

Annihilated by Villa: Coming off a glorious resurgence, Liverpool started the new EPL season on a high, with wins in the opening three games. However, the fourth game turned out to be a nightmare for The Reds at Villa Park, as Aston Villa plundered seven goals, while the visitor lost 2-7. It was its biggest loss since 1963. To make things worse, Adrian was in charge of the goalkeeping duties that saw him being on the receiving end, again. It once again led to controversy for Klopp's decision to field Adrian, while it might seem like it could be the end of Adrian's career at Anfield. Nonetheless, the side has done well in the following games and is currently unbeaten since.

VAR howler on derby day: As Liverpool was reeling from the horrendous 2-7 lose to Villa, the very next game saw another controversy that denied it a win. Taking on city rival, Everton, in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, both teams were held for a frustrating 2-2 draw. Liverpool's Jordan Henderson did score a goal in the second half's injury time, only to be ruled out by the Video Assitant Referee (VAR), which happened to be a controversial one and looked like a specific goal. Naturally, club manager Jurgen Klopp lost his cool at it. Furthermore, Virgil van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara suffered severe injuries due to Everton players' horrific twin challenges. While Klopp wanted to challenge for the controversies, he couldn't. Nonetheless, the club has done a fine job so far, overall.