2009–10 season | |||
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Chairmen |
Tom Hicks and George Gillett (to 16 April 2010) Martin Broughton (from 16 April 2010) |
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Manager | Rafael Benítez | ||
Premier League | 7th | ||
FA Cup | Third round replay (lost to Reading) | ||
League Cup | Fourth round (lost to Arsenal) | ||
UEFA Champions League | Group stage, 3rd | ||
UEFA Europa League | Semi-finals (lost to Atlético Madrid) | ||
Top goalscorer |
League: Fernando Torres (18) All: Fernando Torres (22) |
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Highest home attendance | 44,375 (v. Chelsea, Premier League, 1 May 2010) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 31,063 (v. Reading, FA Cup, 13 January 2010) | ||
Average home league attendance | 41,962 | ||
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The 2009–10 Premier League was Liverpool's 118th season since their foundation, and their 47th consecutive year in the top flight. They were sponsored for an eighteenth season by Carlsberg, but this association would end at the end of the year. Rafael Benítez was the club's manager, this being his sixth season in charge. His association with the club would also end at the end of the year, however.
Having finished second in the previous league campaign, Liverpool qualified automatically for the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2002–03 season. This season Liverpool made major moves in the transfer market, selling important players such as Xabi Alonso and Sami Hyypiä, while signing Alberto Aquilani from Roma and Glen Johnson from Portsmouth.
After a season of poor results and inconsistent play, as well as injuries to main striker Fernando Torres, Liverpool finished 7th in the Premier League, their lowest finish in 11 years, and failed to progress beyond round 4 of either domestic cup. They were eliminated from the League Cup at the hands of Arsenal in the Fourth Round in a 2–1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium on 26 October. They were then knocked out of the FA Cup on 13 January. After a 1–1 draw with Championship team Reading at the Madejski Stadium in the Third Round, Liverpool lost the replay at Anfield 2–1 after extra time.