In 2015, Liverpool's squad for 2020 without any signings was predicted

Liverpool were a shadow of the team they are now five years ago.

In 2015, the Reds were not in a good spot. Managed by Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League after finishing 6th in the Premier League.

Fast forward five years and they are now the best team in the world.

The Reds bolster a star-studded squad with the likes of Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

But, five years ago, how did Liverpool fans think the side would look like now?

The Liverpool Echo decided to have a bit of fun in 2015 by predicting Liverpool's squad for 2020.

It's important to note that they didn't predict any signings to be made as they thought that would be silly.

That means their prediction comprises of players solely from players on Liverpool's books in 2015.

GK: Simon Mignolet

Mignolet was Liverpool's first choice goalkeeper at the time and went on to play 204 times for the club. He was shipped off last summer to Club Brugge after spending a season as back-up to Alisson.

Credit goes to the Echo, though, as they thought he would be replaced with a signing and didn't deem Liverpool's youth goalkeepers to be good enough.

CB: Joe Maguire

The Liverpool Echo clearly rated Maguire back in 2015.

Liverpool didn't as he made just one appearance for the club and now plays for Accrington Stanley in League One.

CB: Mamadou Sakho

"The hope, and expectation, would be Sakho develops into one of the best centre backs in the world at Anfield," they wrote.

The Frenchman was sold to Crystal Palace in 2017 and isn't even a regular in their side.

CB: Emre Can

Can established himself as good player for Liverpool in midfield.

He refused to sign a new contact with the club, though, and moved to Juventus on a free transfer in 2018.

RM: Jordon Ibe

"The biggest question over Ibe’s future is not whether he will make it, but in what specific role. Ibe would probably be an England regular at this point, too," they wrote of Ibe.

They couldn't have been more wrong. He was sold to Bournemouth for £15m just a year later. He has scored just four times in 86 games for the Cherries and is miles off an England place.

CM: Jordan Henderson

At least they got one prediction right. The Liverpool Echo thought Henderson would be captain in 2020 and they were spot on.

CM: Jordan Rossiter

Rossiter started off well, scoring on his Liverpool debut, but that was as good as it got.

The Englishman left for Rangers a year later and is currently playing in League One at Fleetwood Town.

LM: Harry Wilson

Not a bad shout. Wilson has impressed in the past few seasons on loan at Hull, Derby and now Bournemouth.

He has a hard task breaking into Liverpool's first team when he returns in the summer.

AM: Sheyi Ojo

The Liverpool Echo predicted that Ojo and Lazar Makrovic would be fighting for this position. Ouch.

Now 22, Ojo is still at Liverpool but is spending the season on loan at Rangers. It's almost certain he never makes another appearance under Jurgen Klopp.

AM: Philippe Coutinho

Coutinho would perhaps still be in Liverpool's starting XI... if he didn't force through a move to Barcelona in 2018.

Coutinho thrived at Anfield but has not looked the same player since his departure.

ST: Raheem Sterling

"He would be the talisman of the team."

Like Coutinho, it's likely he would still be at Liverpool had he not forced through a move to Man City a few months after the prediction was made.

Unlike Coutinho, Sterling has thrived since leaving the club and is now one of the best players in the world.

In the squad:

Danny Ward, Jon Flanagan, Alberto Moreno, Martin Skrtel, Pedro Chirivella, Nat Phillips, Cameron Brannagan, Lazar Markovic, Sergi Canos, Divock Origi, Daniel Sturridge, Jerome Sinclair

It's always hard to predict the future. The Liverpool Echo have shown that.

They seemed nailed on that Sakho, Rossiter and Ibe would still be at the club and would be among the best players in the Premier League. They were very wrong.