Ranking Jurgen Klopp’s 9 seasons at Liverpool from best to worst

Jurgen Klopp is about to reach the end of his ninth and final season as Liverpool FC manager, but which has been the best?

Klopp has provided us with such special memories down the years, not least winning the Premier League and Champions League, and he will depart as a true Anfield great.

Some seasons have been more enjoyable and trophy-laden than others, however, with disappointing spells also thrown in.

Here are Klopp’s seasons at Liverpool ranked from best to worst.

 

1. Season 2018/19 – Let’s talk about six, baby!

MADRID, SPAIN - SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2019: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson lifts the European Cup following a 2-0 victory in the UEFA Champions League Final match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Estadio Metropolitano. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

League finish: 2nd
Points: 97
Champions League: Winners
FA Cup: 3rd Round
League Cup: 3rd Round


A stunning season saw Liverpool not only win a sixth European Cup but also accumulate 97 points in a relentless Premier League title battle with Man City.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, May 7, 2019: Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum celebrates scoring the third goal with team-mates during the UEFA Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Barcelona at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

This takes top spot, not only because it wasn’t Covid-affected, but because this was the best-performing team of the Klopp era.

To not win the title with 97 points is cruel, but thankfully, Liverpool went all the way in the Champions League, including clinching an all-time great win over Barcelona.

The final win over Tottenham was achieved in clinical, dogged fashion before some iconic on-pitch celebrations after the final whistle.

This was the Reds at the absolute peak of their powers under Klopp.

Best league win: Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool

 

2. Season 2019/20 – Champions at last

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, July 22, 2020: Liverpool’s captain Jordan Henderson performs his traditional shuffle before lifting the Premier League trophy during the trophy presentation as the Reds are crowned Champions after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

League finish: 1st
Points: 99
Champions League: Last 16
FA Cup: 5th Round
League Cup: 5th Round
Club World Cup: Winners
Super Cup: Winners


After 30 long years, Liverpool finally got their hands on another league title – but the manner of it was somewhat anti-climatic due to circumstances out of our control.

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - Thursday, December 26, 2019: Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold scores the fourth goal during the FA Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Liverpool FC at the King Power Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Forget any nonsense talk of a ‘Covid title’, Liverpool were home and hosed by the time football was halted for a while, leading the rest by TWENTY-FIVE points on one occasion.

Even if they’d have lost every match after lockdown, they still would have finished the season with a point more than Man City.

Unbelievably, the Reds’ only dropped points in their first 27 league games came away to Man United, which remains an unfathomable statistic.

We were all robbed of celebrating the title with the players, which will always be hard to stomach, but until the beginning of March, this was just as enjoyable as 2018/19, if not better.

The quality and mentality of that Liverpool side were a match for any team in English football history.

Best league win: Leicester 0-4 Liverpool

 

3. Season 2021/22 – A quadruple chase – 2 games from greatness

2J9AY3N Manager of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp celebrates with the FA Cup Trophy - Chelsea v Liverpool, The Emirates FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London - 14th May 2022

League finish: 2nd
Points: 92
Champions League: Runners-up
FA Cup: Winners
League Cup: Winners


Liverpool came within touching distance of an unprecedented quadruple, but two trophies still represented an impressive season.

2J8AC5K Liverpool's Kostas Tsimikas celebrates scoring the winning penalty during the Emirates FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Saturday May 14, 2022.

It’s easy to forget that Klopp’s men looked jaded midway through the campaign, but the arrival of Luis Diaz gave them fresh impetus and they came so close to an outrageous achievement.

Two penalty shootout wins over Chelsea in both domestic cup finals sealed glory, with Caoimhin Kelleher and Kostas Tsimikas the unlikely heroes.

Sadly, Liverpool ran out of steam in the end, again being painfully pipped by City on the final day, and beaten by a Thibaut Courtois-inspired Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Still, what a ride it was.

Best league win: Man United 0-5 Liverpool

 

4. Season 2017/18 – Delivering fun all the way to the final

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 10, 2018: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the first goal to equalise and make the score 1-1 during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

League finish: 4th
Points: 75
Champions League: Runners-up
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: 3rd Round


The signing of Virgil van Dijk helped inspire Liverpool to the Champions League final in another season of huge progress.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, April 4, 2018: Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrates scoring the second goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

In terms of memories, 2017/18 provided us with some of the most special in history, mainly in the Champions League.

Van Dijk joined halfway through the season and his impact was immediate – it doesn’t get much better than a debut goal against Everton! – helping Liverpool go all the way to a final.

To beat arguably Pep Guardiola’s greatest-ever City team over two legs was an amazing effort, and the scenes in Italy after the semi-final triumph over Roma were special.

Ultimately, Liverpool ran into Madrid once again in Kyiv, and Loris Karius produced one of the worst performances in a big game, but it was still a thrilling campaign.

Best league win: Liverpool 4-3 Man City

 

5. Season 2015/16 – Klopp’s promising first season

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Thursday, April 14, 2016: Liverpool's Dejan Lovren celebrates scoring the dramatic fourth goal against Borussia Dortmund in injury time to seal a 4-3 (5-4 aggregate) victory during the UEFA Europa League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

League finish: 8th
Points: 60
Europa League: Runners-up
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: Runners-up


A campaign that started so badly under Brendan Rodgers eventually saw Klopp arrive and show immediately why he would grow into a legend.

NORWICH, ENGLAND - Friday, January 22, 2016: Liverpool's Adam Lallana celebrates scoring the fifth, and winning, goal against Norwich City to seal a late 5-4 victory with manager Jürgen Klopp during the Premiership match at Carrow Road. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The appointment of the German in October 2015 will forever be a seismic moment in Liverpool’s history, and from that first game at Tottenham, you felt something special was brewing.

It was far from perfect in, but there were high-octane victories away to the likes of Chelsea, Man City, and perhaps most memorably, Norwich.

Gegenpressing, heavy metal football had Arrived and we’d all strapped in for the ride!

There was also the small matter of Klopp reaching the finals of both the League Cup and Europa League in his first half-season.

There was the unforgettable 4-3 win over Borussia Dortmund – one the best nights Anfield has ever witnessed.

Best league win: Norwich 4-5 Liverpool

 

6. Season 2016/17 – Champions League qualification

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 21, 2017: Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum scores the first goal against Middlesbrough during the FA Premier League match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

League finish: 4th
Points: 76
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: Semi-final


Having featured in the competition only once since 2010/11, Klopp inspired Liverpool back into the Champions League.

Liverpool's Sadio Mane celebrates scoring his sides fourth goal with Jurgen Klopp during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Picture date August 14th, 2016 Pic David Klein/Sportimage via PA Images

In Klopp’s first full season in charge, he delivered the primary objective of getting back into Europe’s top club competition.

At one point until January, Liverpool were in a title race with Chelsea, but star signing Sadio Mane‘s absence at the Africa Cup of Nations saw that dream slowly fade.

In the end, a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough on the final day sealed fourth place – how important did Gini Wijnaldum‘s opener feel? – and the Reds were back where they belonged.

A great achievement by Klopp so soon after coming in.

Best league win: Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool

 

7. Season 2023/24 – Disappointing end to Klopp’s reign

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, April 24, 2024: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah looks dejected as Everton score their side's second goal during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 244th Merseyside Derby, at Goodison Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

League finish: 3rd
Points: 78+
Europa League: Quarter-final
FA Cup: Quarter-final
League Cup: Winners


A season that threatened so much has fizzled out, but Klopp will leave Liverpool in a strong position and as a legend.

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, February 25, 2024: The Liverpool team celebrate winning the cup after the Football League Cup Final match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium. (Photo by Peter Powell/Propaganda)

Few expected a Premier League title charge, with Champions League qualification and Europa League glory the primary objectives.

Grinding out results, Klopp and his players got themselves into a three-way title battle, raising our hopes, but poor finishing and patchy performances put pay to that.

The League Cup win was great, but we all dreamed of Klopp bowing out in the most memorable way imaginable with league and Europa glory.

Many would have taken third place originally, but greater things were teased, which has made this drop-off so much harder to take.

Best league win: Newcastle 1-2 Liverpool

 

8. Season 2020/21 – Fake football & injuries galore

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 17, 2020: Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk is fouled by Everton's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 237th Merseyside Derby, at Goodison Park. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

League finish: 3rd
Points: 69
Champions League: Last 16
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: 4th Round


In what was the true Covid season, Liverpool started promisingly but ended up dogged by injuries and affected by no fans in stadiums.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, March 7, 2021: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker (L) and Nathaniel Phillips look dejected as Fulham score the opening goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Can anyone watch back highlights from the 2020/21 season and not feel flat?

Eery, empty grounds made for lifeless matches, and while Liverpool were in a great position to win back-to-back titles around Christmas, they fell away.

Van Dijk’s injury at Everton was a massive moment, but endless other players were also out for large periods, and Liverpool had to limp their way into the Champions League.

In fairness, third place was a good effort in the end, given the absentees, but it was hard to enjoy any of the action.

Six Anfield losses in a row in the league would never happen with supporters in the ground.

Best league win: Crystal Palace 0-7 Liverpool

 

9. Season 2022/23 – Legs go & lowest points total

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, February 21, 2023: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson looks dejected after Real Madrid score the third goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg game between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

League finish: 5th
Points: 67
Champions League: Last 16
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: 4th Round


The 2020/21 season has obvious reasons for being depressing, it was the most soul-destroying of Klopp’s tenure at Liverpool.

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 4, 2023: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker looks dejected as Wolverhampton Wanderers score the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Liverpool FC at Molineux Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

After the joys of 2021/22 and so nearly winning the quadruple, more brilliance was expected in the following campaign.

Instead, it quickly became apparent that Liverpool’s legs had gone, not least in midfield, where Fabinho and Jordan Henderson toiled.

There were so many humbling defeats, including at Brighton and Wolves, and fifth place was all the Reds deserved as Klopp got his lowest total of 67 points for a full season.

There was still time to beat Man United in a 7-0 humiliation, though.

Best league win: Liverpool 7-0 Man United


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