A few weeks back it seems Liverpool are well on their way to winning the Premier League title as they had a big lead at the top of the table. However, back-to-back draws in the league and a postponed Merseyside derby means, it is suddenly very tight at the top. The Reds still have a game in hand over their rivals but the lead is down to just two points with Chelsea sitting second in the table. The margin for error for the Merseyside giants has gone down and they can’t afford many slip-ups in the next set of festive fixtures.
Arne Slot was always insisting that the title race was never a done deal and his words are proving to be true. Liverpool are still the favourites to win the league but it is going to be a race with Chelsea now emerging as their closest contenders for the title.
Liverpool showed character in their 2-2 draw at home against Fulham despite going down to ten men early in the first half and the result was a testament to the resolve the team has.
However, it was still just a point and the draw at Newcastle and with the postponement of the Merseyside derby, Liverpool allowed a team such as Chelsea to cut into their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Liverpool can ill-afford more slip-ups in the upcoming games but a gruelling festive fixture list will test the strength of the Reds squad and they will need to show the fortitude they displayed against Fulham.
Liverpool will need the squad to step up in the next four league games
The Merseyside giants have an EFL Cup quarter-final clash tonight against a struggling Southampton side but the focus will be on the league games in the next two weeks.
The Reds have two home games and two away games during the next fortnight and it would be foolish to suggest that any of the games would be a given despite the varying strengths of the teams.
Liverpool will be travelling to north London to take on a Tottenham team and no one has any idea which Spurs side will turn up for the big game.
Spurs recently spanked Manchester United 4-0 at the Etihad and played out a great game against Chelsea at home that finished 4-3 in the away side’s favour. However, Tottenham have lost to Bournemouth and Ipswich Town recently while only managing a draw at home against Fulham.
The Reds are expected to beat Leicester City at home in the next game before they travel to London again to take on West Ham on 29th December.
However, a game that English football will be looking forward to is Manchester United’s trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool on 5th January.
This will be a very different Manchester United side to the one Liverpool comfortably beat earlier in the season at Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag last month and the new manager has already made an impact.
Manchester United’s win over Manchester City at the Etihad last weekend showed that the Red Devils will be a tougher nut to crack for Liverpool next month.
However, the Reds have an enviable recent record against their arch-rivals and will back themselves to beat Amorim’s new-look team at the start of 2025.
The Reds can’t afford to drop too many points in the next two weeks
The tightening of the title race should further focus minds in the Liverpool squad. However, it also means they cannot afford to drop many more points in the next two weeks.
The back-to-back draws have come as a reality check for Liverpool fans who thought the Reds would win the Premier League title on a canter this season.
An away trip to Tottenham and a home clash against Manchester United will likely present the toughest tests to Liverpool during the festive period of games. However, we must not forget no one expected the Reds to drop points at home to Fulham.
However, a team aspiring to win the Premier League should beat Leicester at home and pick up three points against a struggling West Ham side at the London Stadium.
Liverpool should also be beating a defensively porous Tottenham side away from home. If the Reds can get nine points from their next games, they would not mind a draw against a resurgent Manchester United side at Anfield next month.
However, two points should be the upper limit of how much they would want to lose during the festive period as Chelsea are looking dangerous and Arsenal are still very much in the race.
