Liverpool has been overtaken in the race for the Champions League, with the Reds losing at Bournemouth before Chelsea and Manchester United were in action on Sunday
18:27, 25 Jan 2026
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Liverpool dropped more points late on against Bournemouth on Saturday, giving Chelsea and Manchester United the chance to overtake in the race for the Champions League spots.
Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai scored for Arne Slot's side at the Vitality Stadium but mistakes at the back proved costly. The following day, Chelsea won at Selhurst Park, beating Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park. Manchester United then won against Arsenal with Patrick Dorgu's good form continuing and Matheus Cunha netting the winner.
Finishing in the top five is the minimum requirement for Liverpool this season. However, the Reds are now outside the Champions League spots and playing catch-up. This is how their upcoming fixtures compare to those around them.
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Liverpool's next five league games: Newcastle (H), Man City (H), Sunderland (A), Nottingham Forest (A), West Ham (H)
Liverpool.com says: This is by no means an easy run for the Reds. Slot's men will face a combination of good team and low blocks and will need to find some consistency from somewhere, while managing the minutes of some key men.
Chelsea's next five: West Ham (H), Wolves (A), Leeds (H), Burnley (H), Arsenal (A)
Liverpool.com says: Liam Rosenior has done a decent enough job so far and Arsenal aside, the next few fixtures look kind to Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge side could quite feasibly start to build some momentum.
Arne Slot arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Manchester United's next five: Fulham (H), Tottenham (H), West Ham (A), Everton (A), Crystal Palace (H)
Liverpool.com says: With only one game per week as a result of being out of the domestic cups and not in Europe to begin with, Michael Carrick's team has a major advantage in the race for the top four or five spots.
It remains a team that can't be trusted to play at the same level each week, but could do enough to make the Champions League. If it does, Carrick would be in with a shout of getting the gig full-time.
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Newcastle United's next five: Liverpool (A), Brentford (H), Tottenham (A), Man City (A), Everton (H)
Liverpool.com says: An outsider in the race for UEFA's top competition, in part because it is struggling to deal with the fixtures in that competition this season alongside Premier League commitments, the Magpies could put together a run.
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Their next five games, though, show no signs of a respite, however. Liverpool should be confident of finishing ahead of Newcastle, but Chelsea and Manchester United, unless the Reds start to put a run together, could strengthen their grip.