John W Henry's "special" Liverpool prediction showed he knows his stuff

03 December 2023 , 08:00

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Liverpool owner John W Henry's faith in the team in 2018 paid off (Image: Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Liverpool winning the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final against Tottenham Hotspur showed John W Henry knew a thing or two about Jurgen Klopp and the club.

Back in 2018, Henry predicted that Klopp and Liverpool were to have a special season, especially after his side began with only two losses in their first 14 games. Despite missing out on Champions League glory the campaign prior, Henry proclaimed that Liverpool were destined for great things after watching how they performed early that season.

“Kiev was painful. But getting there, you could say we’re a little ahead of schedule,” Henry said in 2018, when asked about Liverpool’s performance.

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“I think Jurgen has solved our defensive issues and we are really strong at the back and really strong in midfield and everyone knows how good we are up front. That, as well, is a very special team and it could be a special season."

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And a special team it was. The Reds finished that season second in the Premier League table, behind only Manchester City. Only one point separated the two teams and both Liverpool and City dominated the competition, demolishing teams in terms of goal difference and total points.

Liverpool conquered Europe in 2018 (AFP via Getty Images)

Though Klopp's side finished second in the Premier League, Liverpool made its mark in the Champions League. After the club licked its wounds from falling to Real Madrid 3-1 the previous year, the Reds made sure a repeat of that failure would not be in the cards.

After finishing the group stage second behind Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool knocked out Germain powerhouse Bayern Munich, Portuguese side Porto and the favourites, Barcelona, in the semi-finals. Despite missing Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino, Liverpool were able to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3 at Anfield, thanks to goals by Divock Origi and Georgino Winjaldum.

Then, facing off against Tottenham - in their first Champions League final - Liverpool strutted their stuff in the early stages. Salah scored a penalty two minutes into the game, the second-fastest goal in a Champions League final.

Then after coming in as a substitute in the 60th minute, Origi scored in the 87th minute to give the Reds a nigh-insurmountable 2-0 lead. That proved to be the nail in the coffin as Liverpool won for the sixth time and Klopp won his first trophy with the club.

With how Liverpool played that season in the Premier League and Champions League, it's clear Henry had a vision for the club that came to fruition. And considering how they played the next year - with Liverpool winning the Premier League - Henry knew just what the club was capable of, even when others might not.

Jarrod Castillo