It has been quite a year for underdogs. Atletico Madrid have bombed to the very top of La Liga ahead of giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, while Roma have shot up Serie A this season to second.
Liverpool are arguably the pick of the bunch however, with Brendan Rodgers’ side on course for a first Premier League title since 1990, as their explosive brand of devil-may-care attacking prowess continues to blow teams away.
Indeed, a lot of people betting on the World Cup will be watching their progress with real interest, with a number of players set to take the World Cup by storm.
The Merseyside club are teetering on the cusp of glory once more, having been perennially in the shadow of the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea for over 20 trying years.
Chock full of exceptional talents, they are certainly the neutral fans’ favourite, having shown no fear in the face of seemingly endless adversary, with Chelsea and Manchester City struggling to keep pace with the fleet-footed Reds.
Indeed, City were put to the sword on the weekend, with Rodgers’ side dramatically emerging 3-2 winners at Anfield in what was a huge step towards the Premier League crown.
Liverpool’s outstanding form this season may indeed have positive repercussions for the World Cup this summer, with a number of star players riding a wave of euphoria towards the showpiece tournament in Brazil.
Luis Suarez is an obvious subject here, with the Uruguayan utterly unstoppable at present. With 29 goals and 25 assists, he is the runaway contender for Player of the Season, and is arguably in the form of his life.
With such an outstanding talisman at their disposal, England’s Group D rivals Uraguay will be a real force to be reckoned with.
Considering the furor over the striker before the season started, with his apparent wish to leave, and his lengthy ban for biting Chelsea’s Ivanovic last season, Suarez may well have been a different player if things had not gone so well for him and Liverpool.
Steven Gerrard is another who is clearly benefiting from Liverpool’s sensational season.
Transformed into a deep-lying playmaker, with more emphasis on defending, the England captain has thrived, and his passion is palpable after every colossal three points.
The 33-year-old was on the verge of tears after the City win, and that kind of drive and commitment is exactly what Roy Hodgson’s England need this summer. With Gerrard more fired up than he has ever been in his career, he will surely bust a gut to replicate his club’s form with England in Brazil.
Indeed, England are in for a massive influx of top form Liverpool players, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge, and Jordan Henderson also brilliant this season.
Sterling, despite being still so young, has been an explosive weapon in Liverpool’s armoury, while Sturridge has been scoring for fun alongside Suarez, and could easily carry his form over for England, with Wayne Rooney charged with getting the best out of his international teammate.
Henderson has been a revelation, having been written off by many following his big-money move from Sunderland back in 2011. He has been strong, technically excellent, and a real driving force in the heart of the Liverpool midfield.
Liverpool’s fantastic season could well add to a surely fantastic World Cup to come, with Brazil 2014 set to be even more riveting than the Premier League title race this season.
What do you think? Will Liverpool’s players shine this summer? Get involved in the comments below…
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