Liverpool’s next six Premier League games analysed as Reds enter crunch period in title race | OneFootball

Liverpool continue to lead the way in the Premier League beyond the midway point of the season, with Arsenal their closest pursuers six points behind.

The Reds have six more top-flight fixtures prior to the March international break, after which they’ll enter the home straight with no further interruptions to the campaign.

Once tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham and Sunday’s FA Cup visit to Plymouth Argyle are out of the way, Arne Slot’s side switch their attention back to the title race, with some fiendish showdowns on the horizon over the coming five-and-a-half weeks.

Let’s look at what awaits Liverpool in their next six Premier League games.

Liverpool’s next six Premier League fixtures

12 February: Everton (away)

The final Premier League derby at Goodison Park was meant to have been played two months ago, but the storm-enforced postponement means that it’s instead been moved to one of the Champions League matchweeks which were supposed to have been freed up for Liverpool by topping the league phase.

The Reds’ recent record away to their local rivals has been concerning, with only two wins since October 2011, and they’ll face an Everton side who’ve been rejuvenated since the return of David Moyes.

This is the game on hand that LFC have had over the chasing pack since December, and a win on the far side of Stanley Park would feel enormous psychologically.

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

16 February: Wolves (home)

In three of the previous six seasons, Liverpool’s final Premier League game has been at home to Wolves, but this year the Old Gold make the trip to Anfield much earlier in the campaign.

In theory, a home clash against the team currently sitting 17th should be straightforward, although the Reds have frequently had to do things the hard way on their own patch this season. In fact, they conceded first to another relegation-threatened Midlands side in Leicester on Boxing Day before recovering to win 3-1.

23 February: Manchester City (away)

A fixture which needs no introduction, although this time Pep Guardiola’s side are realistically out of the title race, with 15 points to make up on Liverpool as things stand.

The Reds haven’t won a Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium since November 2015, when Jurgen Klopp marked his first fixture against City with a 4-1 triumph.

This’ll be Slot’s first trip to that particular venue as well, and it’d send out quite a statement if he were to replicate the aforementioned result of his predecessor.

26 February: Newcastle (home)

For the second time this season, Liverpool and Newcastle meet in a midweek Premier League clash, following on from the 3-3 draw at St James’ Park in early December.

It’s certainly not the gentlest fixture to have just three days after Man City away, with the Magpies firmly in contention for a Champions League place, although those aspirations have taken a hit with two recent home defeats.

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

8 March: Southampton (home)

Theoretically this should be Liverpool’s easiest Premier League match of the season, at home to the team currently mired in 20th place and – at the time of writing – with just nine points to their name, a tally that the Reds hit by 1 September.

However, the Saints did trouble Slot’s side in the reverse fixture at St Mary’s in November, leading 2-1 going into the final 25 minutes, and they’ve shown signs of improvement since Ivan Juric replaced Russell Martin.

Still, this is a game that LFC must win, ideally with relative comfort given the 47-point gap between them in the current standings.

*15 March: Aston Villa (away)

At present Liverpool’s trip to Villa Park is scheduled for mid-March, but if the Reds advance to the Carabao Cup final on the same weekend, this fixture will be brought forward to Wednesday 19 February.

Unai Emery’s side have blown hot and cold in the Premier League this season, but a top-eight finish in the Champions League shows how strong they are when at their best, and three points would be hard-earned for the visitors whenever this match is played.