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With almost three-quarters of the 2018-19 Premier League season gone, Liverpool continue to be the pacesetters at the summit holding a four-point advantage over closest challengers Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side remain the only team in the league to take maximum points off the Reds, and at this stage of the season they can only win their remaining games and hope Liverpool falter.
Crystal Palace briefly threatened to join the list last Saturday when they took a shock lead at Anfield in the first half before Jurgen Klopp’s men recorded a memorable comeback to edge a breathtaking contest 4-3.
Liverpool are showing no signs of surrendering their position at the top of the table and Manchester City will hope for an unlikely capitulation. The Reds would need to lose twice at most to give City the advantage or draw twice at the very least to hand Pep Guardiola’s side top spot on goal difference.
With a number of season-defining matches coming thick and fast particularly for Manchester City in the next couple of weeks, the Reds may rest of their laurels for the moment. However, Klopp’s side could still be vulnerable to an upset as evident in that nervy win over Palace last weekend.
It took a howler from Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni to provide an opening and Liverpool despite winning, conceded more than once at Anfield in the league for the first time this season. That statistic did not tarnish Liverpool’s good work, and the Reds are now in the driving seat as they seek a first league title in almost three decades.
After heavily investing on new players in the January transfer window last year and last summer, this is the closest Liverpool have come to winning the Premier League. They twice held an advantage over the second placed team notably in 2009 and 2014 but failed to get over the finishing line.
That failure which was prominent from Liverpool’s defensive frailties particularly in 2014, is a mistake Klopp would not tolerate. The acquisition of Virgil Van Dijk and Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson has transitioned Liverpool to become the meanest defence in the league.
The Reds may have completed their meetings against Manchester City, but they still have a number of vital fixtures to negotiate during now and the end of the season that could significantly dent their title pursuit.
Here are three fixtures that Liverpool could drop points in, between now and end the season.
Manchester United (play Liverpool at Old Trafford on 24th February)
This is undoubtedly the toughest assignment that Liverpool will have on the road between now and the end of the season in the Premier League. If Liverpool were to drop points, then Old Trafford is the most likely scene for Liverpool’s second defeat of the season.
Manchester United have won six successive Premier League games since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over as interim manager. The Red Devils have not lost at home against Liverpool in the league in five years. In fact, prior to United’s 3-1 loss at Anfield in December, Liverpool had not beaten Manchester United in the league since winning 3-0 at Old Trafford in 2014 during David Moyes era.
But United are now grinding out wins and are looking to make a later desperate push for a top-four finish. Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford will come just four days after playing Bayern Munich in the round of last 16 in the UEFA Champions League. That could be decisive in the context of this match.
Tottenham Hotspur (play Liverpool at Anfield on 30th March)
As things stand, Tottenham Hotspur currently trail Liverpool by nine points. Were it not for that surprise defeat to Wolves at home, Mauricio Pochettino’s side could have narrowed the gap. But that loss did not effectively end Tottenham’s slim chances of a possible title bid.
Their fixture against Liverpool could be hotly contested at the end of March especially if the gap between the pair is reduced.
The North Londoners record at Anfield is not the best, although they did snatch a dramatic point in last season’s 2-2 draw in Merseyside. Spurs will have Harry Kane back by the time they head to Anfield, and with Liverpool edging closer to the title by then, they could be feeling the nerves. Tottenham could have the perfect opportunity to capitalise.
Chelsea (play Liverpool at Anfield 13th April)
Potentially the most important match in Liverpool’s Premier League season will take place at the tail end of the season. Chelsea are undoubtedly the most despised team among Liverpool supporters after dramatically inflicting a damaging defeat in 2014 which cost Liverpool the title.
Could history repeat itself again? Possibly. Chelsea have already won at Anfield this season in the Carabao Cup when Eden Hazard scored that majestic winner in front of the Kop. The Blues seemed to have widened the gap between themselves and Arsenal for the race for fourth place. However, Maurizio Sarri’s side have suffered three surprising defeats in the space of a month to lose ground.
Now Manchester United have ignited their interest along with the Gunners. Chelsea will travel to Anfield not just with the sole reason of spoiling the party, but of guaranteeing a fourth-place finish. This could ultimately be the hardest game of Liverpool’s season.
