After Carabao Cup final defeat Liverpool still have a Premier League title to win with Arne Slot's side 12 points above Arsenal with with nine matches left to play
Comments
Sport
A detailed view of the Premier League trophy
Liverpool lead the Premier League title race as things stand but face a difficult period of matches in the coming weeks
(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Liverpool heading into the international break on a low note is never a good sign, though nothing can be done about defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United now. They can only look ahead to what remains, and that is a Premier League title battle with Arsenal.
Currently the race is heavily in their favour. The Gunners, beating Chelsea whilst the Carabao Cup final defeat to the Magpies occurred on Sunday, could only reduce the points gap to 12 as the fixtures left drop to nine in total. Therefore with 27 points to play for, Liverpool require 16 to wrap up the title for good.
Article continues below
It is often after March internationals that the title picture unfolds in full so in this upcoming home stretch Arne Slot will be presented with multiple difficult challenges. At least his challenge is a clear one now with no distractions at hand, not like Mikel Arteta's as he still must juggle European duties alongside his domestic ones.
READ MORE: I was in the Liverpool end at Wembley - we need to do two things to get our identity backREAD MORE: Titles stripped, relegation, Liverpool reality - Man City charges verdict amid imminent statement
GW30 - Liverpool vs Everton / Arsenal vs Fulham
Liverpool are going to want to get over their PSG and Newcastle slump straight away after the international break because the longer this Premier League title race drags on, Arteta is only going to be able to call upon better players like Bukayo Saka coming back from injury.
So needing that fast restart, they're presented with arguably their second-toughest fixture remaining on the schedule. We all know how difficult Merseyside derbies can be from the last one, at least this time there is home advantage to help push through.
Given the context before the break and the weight this fixture always holds, especially in this one instance, it is season defining in every way imaginable.
At least some comfort comes from the fact Arsenal have dropped points in their last three meetings with Fulham home and away.
GW31 - Fulham vs Liverpool / Everton vs Arsenal
And it seems Marco Silva's side have a difficult double-header - maybe they'll be worn down from the previous week? Hardly likely given these are athletes at the pinnacle of their sport, so Liverpool will have to do a better job than December's Anfield clash when playing with 10 men for the vast majority cost them.
Funnily enough Everton also swap opponents to host Arsenal. The Blues won't be doing any favours to their rivals out of kindness but David Moyes' team have not lost since January 19, we'll have to see what happens in the Merseyside derby the week before this one happens but ironically this could actually be one of the best chances for the Gunners to drop more points.
GW32 - Liverpool vs West Ham / Arsenal vs Brentford
The Reds will be happy to remember they beat the same opposition 5-1 at Anfield in the League Cup and 5-0 in the Premier League already this term, plus West Ham have little to play for in what remains. That said, earlier meetings were under a different manager and Graham Potter has since made improvements.
In the other case, Brentford will most likely have European qualification still to play for so have no reason to let their effort levels slide at the Emirates Stadium.
It is also worth noting that four days prior to this match Arteta's side will have hosted Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter final first leg meeting and four days after travel to the Santiago Bernabeu. With such great focus on a difficult tie, this weekend unequivocally favours Liverpool.
GW33 - Leicester City vs Liverpool / Ipswich Town vs Arsenal
On paper, dropped points for either Liverpool or Arsenal should be the least expected of any remaining round. Both opposition teams are staring relegation in the face nine points off safety so should be close to confirming their fate by this point in the season.
The only argument against would be Ipswich giving the Gunners a tough go as they could still be reeling from their visit to Real Madrid.
GW34 - Liverpool vs Tottenham / Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
Spurs have been a broken team this term and with little to play for could be ripe for the picking when they next visit Anfield, so confidence should be high regardless of whether Slot's side can wrap up the league on this weekend.
Meanwhile Arsenal should similarly be expected to beat Palace for the gulf in their quality, even if Oliver Glasner's team have recently hit form - that fact could have changed spectacularly by the end of April.
GW35 - Chelsea vs Liverpool / Arsenal vs Bournemouth
Arguably the third-most difficult remaining challenge for the Reds is a visit to Stamford Bridge, which under any circumstances can never be taken lightly. It just so happens that the circumstance this season might be winning the Premier League title there and then.
Winning all five matches in the build-up with Arsenal keeping pace means everything can be finished in this round of fixtures.
Enzo Maresca's side are young and have tailed off compared to their standards in the first half of the campaign, though they are still in the hunt for the top four so the task of winning at their home can't be diminished just yet.
At least at the same time their rivals face one of their more difficult matches with European-chasing Bournemouth proving their are capable of beating most this term already, including Arsenal in their reverse meeting.
And the added bonus the Reds can witness either side of this weekend is if their rivals make the Champions League semi-finals, they'll be playing a double-header home and away vs either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa. They'll be stretched thinner then ever before if this is the case.
GW36 - Liverpool vs Arsenal
The most difficult challenge for both and having maybe had one chance to win the trophy before this fixture comes, Liverpool would like to hope they have taken it by this point otherwise this could mark a dangerous turning point.
If they haven't, they are going to require a smart game plan to ensure they avoid defeat at all costs. Arsenal will share the feeling and even more pressure will be on them to come to Anfield and get the win, which they have failed to do in well over a decade now.
GW37 - Brighton vs Liverpool / Arsenal vs Newcastle Utd
A final away match of the season at Brighton. Liverpool won by a one-goal margin in the Carabao Cup there earlier in the season but a full strength Brighton, even if they have faltered for part of the current term, can cause problems on their day. Slot must stay vigilant if the title battle does go this far, especially as Fabian Hurzeler's side are right in the mix for even Champions League football next term if they do well enough.
The same looks to be said for Eddie Howe and Newcastle at Arsenal, so long as they don't just settle for the Carabao Cup and seek to finish their season in style.
GW38 - Liverpool vs Crystal Palace / Southampton vs Arsenal
On the final day of the season in May, all teams will be playing at the same time as one another. If the title battle reaches this stage it means the points gap will have been closed to three points or less - a huge Liverpool capitulation - so expect twists and turns.
Article continues below
Crystal Palace won at Anfield last season, though this current Reds team seems much improved since April 2024. If the visitors have little to fight for then it will be a boost.
Arsenal travel to Southampton for their last challenge, which isn't the best news as the Saints should have been relegated long before then, maybe even with a record low points tally for the English top-flight.