| Liverpool | | | | League crown against Welsh minnows TNS in mid |
| Odds: 8/1 | | | | July, saw them travel to Japan to participate in |
| Last Five Seasons | | | | the World Club Championships a week before |
| 2005/06 - 3 (Premiership), 2004/05 - 5 | | | | Christmas and ended with them winning the FA |
| (Premiership), 2003/04 - 4 (Premiership), 2002/03 | | | | Cup in May. |
| - 5 (Premiership), 2001/02 - 2 (Premiership). | | | | This season won't be anywhere near as arduous |
| 2005/06 Cup Progress | | | | but manager Rafael Benitez has added |
| UEFA Super Cup vs CSKA Moscow - won 3-1 | | | | reinforcements after last season's mammoth |
| after extra time. | | | | campaign which saw the Reds involved in 63 |
| FIFA World Club Championship Final vs Sao Paulo - | | | | matches. |
| lost 1-0. | | | | Benitez signed the Premiership's form player of |
| Champions League Last 16 vs Benfica - lost 3-0 | | | | last season in Blackburn Rovers striker Craig |
| on aggregate. | | | | Bellamy. Liverpool triggered a clause in the Welsh |
| FA Cup Final vs West Ham United (n) - won 3-1 | | | | international's contract, allowing them to speak to |
| on penalties with the score at 3-3 after extra | | | | him should they offer £6 million. After a |
| time. | | | | difficult spell at Newcastle United, Bellamy |
| Carling Cup Third Round vs Crystal Palace (a) - | | | | flourished at Ewood Park last season and scored |
| lost 2-1. | | | | 17 goals in 26 appearances last season. |
| Top Goal Scorer 2005/06: Steven Gerrard | | | | Benitez has signed another of football's "bad boys" |
| (midfield) - 23 goals. | | | | in Birmingham City winger Jermaine Pennant. The |
| Players In | | | | 23 year old signed a four year deal and the |
| Jermaine Pennant (Birmingham City - | | | | transfer fee could increase up to £8 million |
| £6,700,000), Craig Bellamy (Blackburn | | | | from the initial down payment of £6.7 million. |
| Rovers - £6,000,000), Gabriel Paletta | | | | In 2005 he became the first Premeirship footballer |
| (Banfield - £2,000,000), Fabiano Aurelio | | | | to play while wearing an electronic tag. |
| (Valencia - Free). | | | | Other arrivals include Brazilian left-back Fabio |
| Players Out | | | | Aurelio who signed on a free transfer from |
| Dietmar Hamann (Manchester City - | | | | Valencia while central defender Gabriel Paletta |
| £400,000), Bruno Cheyrou (Rennes - | | | | joined for £2 million from Argentine side |
| Undisclosed), Carl Medjani (Lorient - Undisclosed), | | | | Atletico Banfield. Chilean winger Mark Gonzalez is |
| David Raven (Carlisle United - Free), Ramon | | | | eligible to play after being granted a work permit |
| Calliste (Scunthorpe United - Free), Conal Platt | | | | a year after joining the Reds. |
| (Bournemouth - Free), Zak Whitbread (Millwall - | | | | Verdict |
| Free), Chris Kirkland (Wigan Athletic - Loan), Djibril | | | | Liverpool could go one better than their third place |
| Cisse (Marseille - Loan). | | | | finish last season and look a solid bet to win the |
| Liverpool endured a long 2005/06 campaign which | | | | Premiership "without Chelsea" at 9/4 odds. |
| began with them defending their Champions | | | | |