Liverpool's back-to-back away draws against Everton and Aston Villa last month feel like a very distant memory now, after the Reds' victory over Southampton on Saturday moved them 16 points clear at the top of the table.

As recently as two weeks ago, Arsenal had the opportunity to move within five points of Arne Slot's men, but Liverpool has won three games since then, while the Gunners failed to win the two league games that they played across that period, losing at home to West Ham before an away draw against Nottingham Forest.

Soccer fans are natural pessimists when their team is doing well, but it's probably safe for Liverpool supporters to start counting their chickens, because it would be a major shock now if Slot didn't end up hoisting the league trophy come May.

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Liverpool has a 16-point lead with nine games to play, a favorable fixture list, and a healthier squad than the Gunners, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Reds start to pull even further away over the next few games.

The earliest point that Liverpool could win the league

Arsenal currently sits on 54 points, and with 11 games remaining in its season, could max out on 87 points; Liverpool, meanwhile, is currently on 70 points with nine games remaining, and only needs 18 more points from a possible 27 available to guarantee the title.

Six straight wins (concluding away to Chelsea on May 3) would do the trick, and would mean that Liverpool would go into its game against Arsenal at Anfield in the third-to-last game of the season having already secured the title.

It is also possible, although unlikely, that Liverpool could clinch the title after just two more games — although it would require Liverpool to win all of them, and also Arsenal to lose each of its next four games (with Arsenal playing against Manchester United on Sunday, and also in league action next weekend when Liverpool plays in the Carabao Cup final, the Gunners are scheduled to play four league games in the same space of time that Liverpool will play two).

Were that to happen, Liverpool would be on 76 points from 31 games, and Arsenal would be on 54 points from 31 games — 22 points off the top, with just 21 points left to play for. The weekend that could potentially happen on is April 5/6.

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Liverpool's next five league fixtures: Everton (h), Fulham (a), West Ham (h), Leicester (a), Tottenham (h)

Arsenal's next five league fixtures: Man Utd (a), Chelsea (h), Fulham (h), Everton (a), Brentford (h)