The former Reds boss is delighted to see a coach following in his footsteps at Anfield within touching distance of a first crown in 30 years
Liverpool will not just win the Premier League title in 2020, they will do so “in style”, says Gerard Houllier, with the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson helping to lift the club to impressive heights.
The Reds came agonisingly close to ending their long wait for English top-flight supremacy in 2019, only to see Manchester City pip them to the post by a solitary point.
Rather than wallow in the pain of that setback, Jurgen Klopp’s side responded in style by capturing a Champions League crown that has opened the trophy floodgates at Anfield.
Just two wins are required by a record-breaking outfit when football resumes amid the coronavirus pandemic to get their hands on another piece of silverware, with Houllier delighted for a club that he once pushed into contention for major honours but was unable to get over a Premier League line.
The former Reds boss told The Mirror: “The DNA of Liverpool is silverware. To get the title it is a special reward for everyone.
“It has been a long wait of 30 years. It is a title which is a reward to the fans for their loyalty and what they have gone through.
“It rewards all the Liverpool supporters all around the world. It is a title which rewards the players and their staff.
“Not only will they win it, but they will do it in style with a 25-point lead at the moment which has never been seen before.
“In my time we were lucky to have six trophies.
“But Jurgen Klopp won the Champions League last season then the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and now this. It is just a shame to me Liverpool fans won’t be able to experience it at Anfield.
“The fans I hope will be disciplined enough to wait until better times to celebrate the title. I hope to be there then too, but we don’t know yet when they are going to be crowned.”
Liverpool have seen key men on and off the field make important contributions in their recent successes, but Houllier believes two players in particular stand out above the rest – with Klopp having found significant value in the transfer market.
“He bought two players who made a huge difference – [Virgil] van Dijk and Alisson,” added the Frenchman.
“He spotted the weak points of the team and if you look at the results since Van Dijk and Alisson have been there it is phenomenal.
“Even last year I would say they nearly deserved to win the title as well. They had one defeat in 38 games and had 97 points.
“It was just because Manchester City were outstanding as well and had one more point.
“You have to give credit, which Jurgen did, to Manchester City who were phenomenal. City also won the title the year before with 100 points.
“Then the following season to have 98, that is tremendous and you have to acknowledge that.”