Liverpool won this title for one very good reason - they deserved it, writes GRAEME SOUNESS

I have been lucky to win league titles as a player and manager at two of British football's greatest clubs in Liverpool and Glasgow Rangers.

They are sporting institutions that I was privileged to be part of.

It's not just because of their success but the passion the supporters show towards those football clubs is off the charts. In some cases, and forgive me, as many wives and children may not want to hear this, these clubs are the number one concern in those supporters' lives. I've witnessed close hand what it means to them.

It is a wonderful day for these Liverpool players and it is one they will remember until the day they die.

That first league title win is a unique feeling. For some at Anfield, it is their second taste, but no less memorable, because this time the supporters were there.

My sweetest at Liverpool was probably my last in 1984, our third in a row, but my first was in 1979. I can still remember looking round the dressing room, knowing I was with greats of the game, thinking no matter who comes afterwards, these guys are true greats.

Liverpool won the title because they have been good at dealing with challenges all season

This could be the start of a dominating period once again for the Reds, who celebrated wildly

Graeme Souness (far left) won league titles as a player and manager at two of British football's greatest clubs in Liverpool and Glasgow Rangers

I had become part of a team where it was expected that we won the league title. The confidence that instilled, the vibe, was that you felt it was your destiny to continue winning titles.

I hope these players today get that same feeling looking round the dressing room; that this could be the start of a dominating period once again for Liverpool.

That won't be so easy as England's top tier is a super difficult competition to win, and I still consider Manchester City to be the biggest threat to Liverpool come August.

Arsenal have threatened but Mikel Arteta knows he must improve his squad with three or four quality additions, or they will come up short once again.

Liverpool though, are in the luxury position of not being under pressure to buy.

Arne Slot walked into a very healthy football club.

Normally, you get big jobs if the roof is leaking or if there's a constant drip. Liverpool were in good condition.

All the stars then aligned for them as no-one expected Manchester City to implode like they did and Arsenal, perhaps not unexpectedly, turned into Premier League nearly men once again.

Read all of Mail Sport's excellent coverage of Liverpool's 20th league title in The Verdict, Mail+ and online

Arne Slot's side are in the luxury position of not being under pressure to buy this summer

Slot has had time to evaluate the players he inherited and look at the youngsters he maybe didn't know. He will understand now what he needs to improve on to make them even stronger.

The hardest part of the job for him, when he came through the door on day one, was always going to be convincing Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk to stay. When he looked ahead to assess what danger signs were ahead, he knew that was the most difficult task. But he has navigated that and managed it well. Keeping those two, with their experience and performance levels, puts the dressing room in a healthy position.

Liverpool have won this league title not because they have been lucky in patches but, like all good champions, they have been consistently good at dealing with the challenges they have faced over nine hard months.

They have won it because they deserve it.

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