Liverpool dreams of a first league title in 29 years were crushed despite a 2-0 win over Wolves.
Sadio Mane’s 25th and 26th goals of the season upheld their end of the bargain on a tense and occasionally surreal final day of the Premier League campaign – but there was no fairytale finish as Manchester City won 4-1 at Brighton to extend the Anfield wait to be champions again.
The Reds’ great manager Bill Shankly once insisted “first is first and second is nowhere” but that would be harsh on this current team’s achievements.
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To put their season into perspective a record runners-up points tally of 97 is the third-highest in the top-flight’s history, beaten only by City’s 98 this season and 100 last.
Before Tuesday’s remarkable 4-0 comeback against Barcelona to reach a second successive Champions League final manager Jurgen Klopp had said if they did not get through they would “fail beautifully”.
If there is such a thing then they did it in the Premier League.