With just 10 games to go, Liverpool still have their Premier League destiny in their hands, but what do we need to be saying our Hail Marys for to ensure Jurgen Klopp gets his fairytale ending?
The Reds have found themselves in a position few backed them to be in seven months ago, keeping pace with the leaders despite a host of unfortunate injury issues.
Such fitness problems have been the undoing of Klopp’s Liverpool in years gone by, including as recently as last season and two years earlier behind closed doors.
It seems the players are currently hell-bent on not allowing any obstacles to knock them off track in their pursuit of history, but there will undoubtedly be twists and turns to come between now and May.
We’re taking a look at some of the controllables – and uncontrollables – that could dictate whether Liverpool could end this extraordinary era of the football club with a record-equalling 20th league crown.
No more big injuries
Liverpool have coped with adversity admirably to this point, but the strains of battling on multiple fronts could yet bite them if fortunes don’t improve soon.
Recent months have proved that the youth and fringe players can be called upon to do a more-than-adequate job when required, but the sheer volume of fixtures in the coming weeks will really stretch that depth to its limits.
The international break has, for once, fallen at a favourable time for the manager, and he will be hopeful of getting the best versions of the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Ibrahima Konate and Curtis Jones back when we return.
It may be too late for this, with Andy Robertson picking up an issue on Scotland duty, but in Joe Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas there is excellent cover.
A bit of luck wouldn’t go amiss as we approach the run-in!
Arsenal and Man City to draw
While Arsenal gave themselves a fractional initiative heading into the break, Liverpool are still more than handily placed for when Brighton visit on Easter Sunday.
The Gunners will travel to Pep Guardiola’s Man City for a meeting that takes place immediately after our home clash with the Seagulls, and crucially, they can’t both win that one.
Should we take care of business earlier in the day, the table will make for prettier reading regardless of what happens in Manchester.
But a draw would see both sides drop points and put the Reds very much back in the driving seat.
8 wins from 10
It is a rare instance in which the race to the finish features three horses rather than two, meaning that near-perfection will be required to rack up the necessary points tally.
Eight wins and a draw on the home straight would see Liverpool end the campaign with 89 points, a number you’d expect many fans would deal on given the respective fixture lists that still lie ahead.
How many points would you take to get it done?
Forwards to keep firing
Much of Liverpool’s recent success has been built upon the excellent form of the attacking players, with 16 goals coming in just six games throughout February in all competitions.
Mohamed Salah‘s latest impressive goalscoring campaign could yet conceivably see him end with the Premier League‘s Golden Boot should he pick up where he left off before the Africa Cup of Nations.
Darwin Nunez is also enjoying a rich vein of form and is continuously improving as each month ticks by, proving himself to be the man for the big moments by scoring more winning goals than anyone else in the division so far in 2023/24.
And we could still see a telling impact from Diogo Jota before the season’s end, with the No. 20 now nearing a return from injury.
Results away to the enemies
Goodison Park and Old Trafford have typically been two of the very few haunts that the manager has struggled to fully master, but those trips could prove pivotal if we are to get to where we need to be.
Everton and Man United present arguably the two biggest tests between now and the final day, and the latter will be willing to move heaven and earth to prevent us matching their tally of 20 league titles.
Our blue neighbours will be equally keen to see us fall at the final hurdle – whilst having their own battles to contend with at the other end of the spectrum, shall we say.
Their respective motivation won’t make things easy, but championships aren’t given away easily and Liverpool simply have to overcome the challenges they will present if they are to earn the prize they want the most.
Anfield at its best
Much has been made of the home atmosphere in recent years, with some believing that it has fallen off while others argue that we have a false perception of the past.
Wherever you sit on it, since Klopp gave us another of his famous tickings off in December Anfield has been exceptional when it has been needed most.
Liverpool’s youngsters were carried over the line at Wembley by a defiant rendition of ‘Allez Allez Allez’ during extra time, while we enjoyed a return to the ‘good old days’ during an exceptional second-half performance against Man City.
We have a maximum of seven home games left to enjoy under the great man – there is simply no excuse for Anfield not to be a bear pit all the way to the very end.
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