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Liverpool’s win over Wolverhampton Wanderers coupled with Manchester City’s defeat against Crystal Palace meant that Jurgen Klopp’s side extended their lead at the top of the table to four points ahead of Matchday 19 in the Premier League.
The significance of that victory also meant that Liverpool have won 15 of their opening 18 games in the league. No team has failed to win the league after winning 15 of their first 18 matches. A win against Newcastle on Boxing Day (which seems like a formality at this point) will take Liverpool to 26 wins this calendar year – a new club record.
With the Reds showing no signs of complacency ahead of the busy festive schedule, talk of winning the Premier League seems a real possibility now. In fact, with Liverpool boasting the meanest defence in the league this season (only 7 goals conceded), fans are getting ahead of themselves that this Liverpool team could win the Premier League without losing a match this season.
But like great teams of the past have found out, it is next to impossible to match Arsenal’s invincibles. Here are the teams that could potentially end Liverpool’s unbeaten run in the Premier League.
#1 Arsenal (play Liverpool at Anfield on 29 December 2018)
This will be a real test for Liverpool after the Newcastle game. Although Arsenal last won at Anfield in the league during 2012, they have a new man at the helm now. Unai Emery has galvanized Arsenal, and guided them to a 22-match unbeaten streak before losing to Southampton.
Arsenal also have an in-form striker now, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading the scoring charts ahead of Mohamed Salah with 12 league goals. Liverpool are favourites to win this match, or at least avoid defeat, but like Crystal Palace showed with their win at Man City, we could be in for a surprise at Anfield this season.
#2 Manchester City (play Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on 3 January 2019)
It is incredible to imagine just how the table might have looked had Riyad Mahrez scored the penalty when these two sides met at Anfield earlier this season. That would have massively shattered Liverpool's confidence. Or Jordon Pickford's horrible mistake in the Merseyside Derby. Instead, Man City are now trailing Liverpool by four points.
This fixture will undoubtedly be Liverpool’s most difficult assignment of the season. A win for Liverpool will almost certainly move them towards touching distance of the title. But Pep Guardiola is not a man who loses too many games, especially at home. City will have David Silva and Fernandinho back by then, and Liverpool will see very little of the ball.
#3 Manchester United (play Liverpool at Old Trafford on 24 February 2019)
Assuming Liverpool come away from the Etihad unscathed, they have on paper very winnable games apart from their trip to Old Trafford. With Chelsea and Tottenham having to visit Anfield, it only leaves Manchester United with the seemingly potential task of causing an upset.
Liverpool have not won at Old Trafford since the David Moyes era at Manchester United. In fact, in the last 10 years, the Reds have triumphed on just two occasions at the Theatre of Dreams.
On both occasions, Liverpool finished runners-up in the league. Man United need no reminding of how big a fixture against Liverpool is. With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in charge of the Red Devils now, United seem to have their confidence and swagger back.
This will be a fixture Jurgen Klopp will want to get out of the way as quick as possible, and United will have a vociferous Old Trafford support cheering for them.
