so close | 

Jordan Henderson tries to find words to sum up Liverpool's Premier League title heartache

Jurgen Klopp and a dejected Mohamed Salah of Liverpool reflect on a title near miss. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Kevin Palmer

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson admitted his side's dramatic final day heartbreak in the Premier League title race was hard to take, as Anfield fell silence after an afternoon of high tension.

Liverpool’s hopes of a dramatic last-day Premier League title win were dashed by Manchester City’s remarkable second-half comeback, with the 3-1 home win over Wolves not enough to maintain their quest for an unprecedented quadruple.

For a long period, with their rivals losing at home to Aston Villa, belief coursed around the ground but the dream was extinguished in the space of six minutes in which Pep Guardiola’s men turned things around.

It meant the Reds finished second by a point, with a 92-point tally which would have been good enough to win the title in 25 of the previous 30 seasons.

"It was a tough afternoon for us really," said Henderson. "We didn't play particularly well, or as well as we can. Going a goal behind is never easy but we kept going and we found a way to win, which was pleasing.

"We didn't really know what the score was (at Man City) because there were too many cheers from the Wolves fans and the Liverpool fans. We are disappointed, we have been in this position before, and it is tough. We found a way today to get the three points, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough (to win the title).

"We gave absolutely everything all season right up until the end of the (Premier League) season.

"We are very proud of the boys, of what they have done this season, but it is not over yet.

"There is still one game left against a really good side and we are going to have to be at our best in the Champions League final."

The last time a team failed to win the top-flight title after leading the table on the final day was Liverpool themselves in 1989 when they lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal.

But this time their destiny was out of their hands as it needed Villa, managed by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, to pull off the unexpected and get something at the Etihad Stadium.

For 75 minutes it looked like they might just do that and with Sadio Mane’s 11th league goal at Anfield cancelling out Pedro Neto’s surprise opener there was a feeling that something special was happening.

But by the time Mohamed Salah had put his side 2-1 up with his 23rd league goal – to share the Golden Boot with Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, City were ahead.

That required something special from Villa late on but the next goal came at Anfield where Andy Robertson stabbed home in the 89th minute.


Today's Headlines

More Soccer

Download the Sunday World app

Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Available on Apple and Android devices

WatchMore Videos