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Liverpool have 54 days to finish incredible Arne Slot job Jurgen Klopp started before big…

IPSWICH, ENGLAND - AUGUST 17: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Arne Slot head coach of Liverpool at the end of the Premier League match between Ipswich Town FC and Liverpool FC at Portman Road on August 17, 2024 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Arne Slot (right) could soon become only the second Liverpool manager after Jurgen Klopp (left) to bring the title back to Anfield in the Premier League era

At least half a dozen of this Liverpool squad will be forgiven for a feeling of deja vu right now. At the March international break, the Reds stand at the top of the Premier League, with supporters' thoughts starting to turn towards a dream end to a title-winning campaign.

Many of them have been here before. Six years ago, Jurgen Klopp's side held the lead ahead of a game in-hand from Manchester City against local rivals United, while the following year, a three-month pause in play for the worldwide pandemic saw hopes suspended in the air as Liverpool led by 25 points.

In 2022, just a point separated the Reds and City at the top at this stage of the campaign, while Klopp's men were level with Arsenal at the summit after 29 games in 2024.

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The above is all proof that the Reds have recent experience of the expectations that surround a title push at this point of the season. They know what is needed and, more importantly, what cannot be repeated.

The 12-point advantage they are currently in possession of, however, is their healthiest lead after 29 games for five years and given a bruising few days that saw them knocked out of the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain before they were forced to relinquish their hold on the Carabao Cup on Sunday to Newcastle United, the worst week of Arne Slot's reign, lamentably, cannot be put right immediately.

Instead, Liverpool are forced to stew on their disappointment, even if both Andy Robertson and Darwin Nunez have conceded this week that a change of scenery with their national sides has helped them get over a miserable few days at club level.

By the time the leaders next play, what was an imposing 15-point lead at the start of last weekend could have been whittled down to nine and a visit from a resurgent Everton is perhaps one of the least welcome assignments for Slot and his staff as they plot a return to winning ways.

While Slot admitted at Wembley that he would love to quickly get those back-to-back defeats out of his system with a swift return to league action, it must be considered good news that his team are not involved in the action next weekend.

Instead, it is not until the Merseyside derby the following Wednesday that the Reds are back at it and that crucially affords a squad who were running on empty at Wembley an extra few days to rest and recuperate ahead of what will be their 21st game of 2025 alone.

Players like Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and even Mohamed Salah have looked in need of a break over the last three or four games, so the chance to ease those weary limbs for just a few extra days should inject some further zest into performances next month. Theoretically, at least.

Previous international breaks have sometimes only seen players return as late as Thursday before the weekend's game, which disrupts so much of the preparation that goes into top-level games.

So the fact that a free weekend awaits upon their return could make all the difference for a club who will be desperate to surge over the finish line in their aims of a second league title in five years. A limp reaction to a chastening week, particularly with the additional days off, won't be accepted at a time when many are demanding a response.

But with April 2 marking the visit of Everton and May 25 slated as the final day of what has, so far, been an incredible Premier League campaign for Slot in his maiden year in England, the Reds have 54 days to do what is needed to grant the sort of scenes that were so sorely missed five years ago.

With more and more predicting a busier summer than usual at Anfield, this might be the last stand for many in the Liverpool squad, as Slot prepares to place his fingerprints all over the team for the coming years. This, after all, is still the house that Klopp built and a second title for many in the group would be the fitting end chapter to a celebrated story.

Liverpool have been here before at this stage. Complete the job from here and a generation of fans will find themselves in entirely new territory.

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