THE 2021/22 SEASON IN PERSPECTIVE

As devastating as Saturday night was, (and I don’t even want to touch on the disgraceful events that led to kickoff being delayed and UEFA shifting the blame to the ‘paid customers’) we cannot let it be the defining moment or the lasting memory of the season.

In the wake of the crushing defeat to Real Madrid, there’s been a rush by opposition fans and no mark pundits to paint Liverpool’s season as a failure. That’s funny when the Reds literally won more trophies than any other club in England over the course of the season.

Yesterday’s parade was just the tonic the whole club needed (even if we were all reprehensive at the thought when the final whistle blew on Saturday in Paris). It was a welcome reminder of everything this group of players have achieved throughout this season.

The day we brand a domestic Cup double winning season as a failure is the day we should give up the sport. It is suddenly forgotten that we finished trophy-less just last season, with most pundits tipping us for a top four battle this season.

That we took the title race (which at one point had City 14 points clear) to the final day yet again, and narrowly missed out on the Champions League was more than anyone (fans and pundits alike) expected at the start of the season.

Our first League Cup trophy since 2012 and our first FA Cup success in 16 years cannot be sniffed at. It has been a memorable season, not just because of the two pieces of silverware but the journey we’ve been taken on as fans.

We saw some amazing performances and stunning results (thrashing United 9-0 on aggregate was particularly fun) on the way to playing every single match possible in the season. Four defeats in sixty three matches. What a season!

No one can take the unbridled joy we felt across the season from us. The whole season can’t just be summarised by the disappointment in the final week. What went before was a fantastic ride that will never be forgotten.