Liverpool face 25 days that will decide Premier League title as Arsenal fixtures advantage wiped out
If you were to Google ‘Liverpool fixtures’, a curious sight awaits you. The Reds face an intimidating run of matches after their embarrassing FA Cup exit at the hands of Plymouth Argyle.
In the space of 14 days, they travel to Everton, host Wolverhampton Wanderers, face back-to-back trips to Aston Villa and Manchester City and then host Newcastle United. With all that to come before the end of February, Arne Slot’s side will certainly have to perform a lot better than they did against the Pilgrims.
But look beyond such a stretch, and you will be greeted by a far more intriguing spectacle in March. As things stand, Liverpool are only pencilled in to play once according to the search engine.
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After hosting Newcastle on February 26, the Reds are next in action at home to Southampton on March 8. They then have to wait 25 days to resume their Premier League campaign, with the visit of Everton to Anfield in the second Merseyside derby of the season coming on April 2.
Of course, we already know that Liverpool won’t actually be playing only once in March.
They have a League Cup final to look forward to against Newcastle United at Wembley on March 16, while they will face one of Paris Saint-Germain/Brest and Benfica/Monaco in the Champions League round-of-16 on March 4/5 and March 11/12.
But it is true that they will go nearly a month between Premier League fixtures, courtesy of their trip to Aston Villa being brought forward after the Reds booked their place in next month’s League Cup final.
Liverpool will enjoy three weekends off though next month, with changes to the FA Cup schedule this season meaning they will not be in action the weekend of March 1-2 and March 29-30 when the fifth round and quarter-finals take place.
Meanwhile, the March international break is also scheduled for March 17-25, explaining why the Reds are also not in action the weekend of March 22-23.
Slot made wholesale changes against Plymouth as he left 11 senior players at home, having done similar against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last month, to ensure his star players are in the best possible condition ahead of their intense run of fixtures this month.
But their early FA Cup elimination has ultimately reduced the workload Slot’s squad will face during final months of the season, ensuring they will be well rested for both the Premier League run-in and knockout stages of the Champions League.
Liverpool’s nearest Premier League title challengers, Arsenal, had already been afforded such a luxury after being knocked out in the FA Cup third round by Manchester United. They just enjoyed a weekend off as a result of their early elimination.
With the Gunners having to make up at least a six-point deficit if they are to overhaul the Reds’ at the top of the table, such weekends off had been seen as a potential boost to their title-hopes.
But such an advantage has now been cancelled out almost immediately by Liverpool’s own premature exit.
And when you look at Arsenal’s own run of fixtures during such a period, it perhaps plays even more into the Reds’ favour.
In Premier League action away at Manchester United (March 9) and at home to Chelsea (March 16) next month - having finished February away at Nottingham Forest - Arsenal will also lock horns with Juventus/PSV Eindhoven or AC Milan/Feyenoord in the Champions League round-of-16.
While Liverpool could face PSG in their most intimidating possible Champions League round-of-16 tie, either Serie A giant would arguably be a more daunting prospect for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Beyond such European exploits, when the Reds return to Premier League action after a 25-day absence against Everton on April 2, the title race will have become a whole lot clearer heading into the run-in with nine games still to play.
Losing to Plymouth will sting for Slot and his squad, but it will ultimately be quickly forgotten come the end of the season if Liverpool finish the campaign as Premier League champions.