Champions can win without a back (9)

I believe the answer is:

liverpool

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'back' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both locations as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?

I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for liverpool that I've seen before include "City of the Mersey and the Beatles" , "city with two cathedrals" , "I over poll the English city" , "team" , "Cathedral city" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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