2017–18 Liverpool F.C. season

The 2017–18 season was Liverpool Football Club's 126th season in existence and their 56th consecutive season in the top flight of English football. It was also the club's 26th consecutive season in the Premier League. Along with the Premier League, Liverpool also competed in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and UEFA Champions League. The season covered the period from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. It began with an away 3–3 draw against Watford in the league and ended with a 3–1 loss to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final.

Season review

Pre-season

Liverpool began their preseason in the same manner as last year, a visit to Tranmere Rovers on 12 July. Liverpool won 0–4 with goals from James Milner (from the penalty spot), Marko Grujić, Pedro Chirivella, and Ben Woodburn (from the penalty spot as well.) The Reds next trip was to Wigan Athletic on 14 July where they drew 1–1 going 1–0 down early, but the equalizing goal coming in first half stoppage time from new signing Mohamed Salah. On 19 July, Liverpool played their first match of the 2017 Premier League Asia Trophy friendly tournament in Hong Kong against Crystal Palace. The Reds won 2–0 thanks to goals from another new signing, Dominic Solanke, and Divock Origi. The Reds advanced to the final, played on 22 July, the day after announcing new signing Andrew Robertson on a deal from Hull City, against Leicester City. Liverpool won the tournament defeating Leicester in the final 2–1, despite conceding first, due to goals from Salah and Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool returned to Europe to play their next pre-season match on 29 July against Hertha BSC, a match that celebrated the two clubs respective 125th anniversaries of existence. Liverpool got the better of the German side winning 0–3 in Berlin with goals scored by Solanke, Gini Wijnaldum, and Salah. Liverpool's next two matches were as a part of another pre-season tournament as the club partook in the 2017 Audi Cup, defeating Bayern Munich at Bayern's home stadium 0–3 in their first match of the tournament on 1 August, the goals coming from Sadio Mané, yet another from Salah, and Daniel Sturridge. In the final on the next day, Liverpool lost to Atlético Madrid, 1–1 (4–5 in penalties) with a Roberto Firmino spot kick pushing the game to penalties before ultimately losing. In the days before their final pre-season match, Liverpool were dealt a blow as it was revealed that Adam Lallana was injured in the final and, according to manager Jürgen Klopp, would be out for "a couple of months." In the final friendly on 5 August in Dublin against Athletic Bilbao, Liverpool finished strong winning the match 3–1 thanks to Firmino's spot kick, Woodburn's strike in the second half, and Solanke's headed finish.

August

Liverpool began their Premier League campaign on 12 August with a trip to Vicarage Road to take on Watford. Watford opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a Stefano Okaka header off a corner kick, however Mane levelled in the 29th minute, only for Abdoulaye Doucouré to give Watford a 2–1 in the 32nd where it stood at the half. In the second half, Liverpool took the lead after goals from Firmino from the spot and Salah in the 55th and 57th minutes, respectively. However, in the 93rd Miguel Britos once again levelled the game with a controversial equalizer off another corner kick to set the score at 3–3 where the game finished. Following the match, manager Klopp expressed disappointment in the equalizer counting making the claim that Britos was offside when scoring. Liverpool had no time to despair over lost points as they set off to Germany to square off with