Why an English side will win the Quadruple sooner rather than later

Liverpool look less likely to claim four trophies now, but it's only a matter of time before Jurgen Klopp's side, or Man City, claim what once looked like an impossible achievement.

An impossible dream?

It speaks to the standards required of a quadruple-chasing team that, in the eyes of many, a draw with Champions League hopefuls Tottenham put paid to Liverpool’s hopes this term.

The Reds moved top of the Premier League after coming from behind to share the spoils with Antonio Conte’s men, with Champions League and FA Cup finals still to look forward to after clinching the League Cup.

But the consensus in the aftermath of that thrilling Anfield clash was clear: Jurgen Klopp and his team had blown their chance.

Should that prove to be the case, then no wonder the German has been so consistent in his declarations that winning all four trophies is almost impossible.

“It’s not [a realistic target],” he recently declared when asked about the likelihood of a clean sweep. “I don’t think it ever was.”

Inequality of wealth

But, while that may be true of Klopp’s Liverpool this season, it is hard to shake off the feeling that an unprecedented quadruple is coming to one club sooner rather than later.

And that is down to the inescapable sporting inequalities baked in by the increasing concentration of wealth at the summit of the English game.

For starters, there are a select few - or select two, in this moment - for whom a Premier League title challenge is a given each season barring an injury crisis like that which afflicted Liverpool last term.

Too many clubs below that elite group are incapable of crashing the party even should they make consistently smart decisions over a number of years, and so a two-team shootout is always likely to ensue until other, bigger clubs get their houses in order.

Of course, title charges tend to bring with them Champions League qualification, and the Premier League’s strength relative to other European leagues mean its representatives are cemented among the favourites to lift that prize before a ball is even kicked.

There are also a limited number of challengers for the domestic cups, as illustrated by the fact they have been won by a non-big-six team on just three occasions across the last decade.

In the case of the League and FA Cup, smaller clubs often do not believe they can afford to put strain on their squad by going deep, particularly if they have any hopes of European qualification.

And so their cup campaigns are typically ended early courtesy of a much-changed side suffering defeat, leaving their better-financed rivals to sweep up the silverware.

Liverpool players celebrate another goal, but could they be celebrating a Quadruple soon?

Little bit of luck

Admittedly, for all these existing advantages, an element of fortune is still required to keep a quadruple bid alive late into the season.

For example, drawing a big-six opponent away from home in the early, rotational rounds of the domestic cups can pose major problems.

And, as Manchester City have found this season, the chaos of the Champions League and its potential effects on other competitions can also be decisive.

It is not just that Pep Guardiola’s team had to face both Madrid teams back to back in the knockout stages, it is that the demands of their meetings with Atletico also necessitated a weakened team being named in the FA Cup semi-final.

That worked in Liverpool’s favour, as have their draws in general this season, though Klopp would no doubt argue that it is entirely deserved after suffering some poor fortune on that front in that past.

Future looks bright

Still, it feels like both clubs are working toward a future where luck is ultimately taken out of the equation, as evidenced by the constantly improving nature of their squads. 

Signings like Luis Diaz and the incoming Erling Haaland have made it seem entirely possible that both Liverpool and City will go into the coming seasons harbouring genuine hopes of doing a quadruple from the off.

Clearly, that is an ambition that the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United would love to be able to match in the years ahead, though it is certain to take time for either to realise their aims as they overcome periods of instability.

Consequently, Liverpool and Manchester City feel like the biggest obstacle to the other going on to win the quadruple in the short term.

And, judging by this season, it does not take much to imagine either falling on the right side of the fine margins involved to write themselves into the history books.