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This is going to be a monumental week for Liverpool, but the fact they face three huge tests in quick succession might actually be exactly what they need.
Starting on Saturday, the Reds play Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal in the space of eight days and I think they need to win at least two of those games to stay in the fight for the top four.
That looks like a daunting prospect – but it might surprise a few people to see that Liverpool have not just done well in these big games this season, they’ve done better than any of the other top teams.
When you include the top six’s results against Champions League quarter-finalists Chelsea, Liverpool are still top of their mini-league, on goal difference. They drew at Anfield in January, while City and Arsenal have both beaten the BluesTo see Jurgen Klopp’s side top of this mini-table did not shock me, though – it actually backs up my theory about their struggles this season, and why they have not got close to mounting a title challenge.
At the start of the campaign, it felt like Liverpool had a little bit of a hangover from missing out on two of the big trophies last May.
That was understandable, because they were two games from greatness last season. They were one Premier League win and the Champions League final away from a quadruple and doing what no team had done before in English football.
More of a concern for me back in August was that a lot of the Liverpool players did not have real competition for their places. Watching their early performances, I felt complacency set in a little bit, especially against the lesser teams.
Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier used to talk to me about it a lot when he was in charge at Anfield, when he would always warn us about what he called the comfort zone.
He’d say that’s what players fall into when they start believing their own hype and think they are a better team than they are.
It’s not a conscious decision you make as a player, sitting at home watching video clips of yourself then walking out on the pitch thinking you are going to be brilliant. However, when you have been part of a good team for a long time, you can fall into a trap where you end up just thinking you need to turn up to win.
It’s why all the best teams down the years have needed reinvention. Sir Alex Ferguson did it time and time again at Manchester United. Pep Guardiola is the same at City now – he knows you have to keep changing things to continue being successful.
Latest Liverpool news, analysis and fan viewsGet Liverpool news notificationsListen to the latest The Red Kop podcastLiverpool are still capable of magic momentsLiverpool’s last league game saw them follow up their 7-0 win over Manchester United with a 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth, who were then bottom of the table. “That summed up their season so far,” says MurphyIn years gone by under Klopp, the Reds would run straight through lesser opposition, and win game after game.
Not this season, though. Liverpool have not been near those levels most of the time and everyone has been trying to explain why they have under-performed and looked so vulnerable defensively.
There is more to it than just complacency – injures have not helped and, as the season has gone on, I’ve also seen a lack of confidence from them in certain games which comes from not getting the expected results earlier on.
But the fact they have still done so well against the better teams confirms to me it has been more of a mind-set issue than a physical problem or a lack of quality.
Chelsea are ranked 10/15 from games against the top five this season, with no wins and just two draws (and three goals) from six games. Fulham are bottom, with eight defeats out of eightWhenever you play the big teams, you are always very aware you have to be bang at it, physically and mentally, otherwise you are not going to be successful.
When Liverpool have had that focus, they’ve got results. They have not just got the best record from those games between the top six, they’ve also picked up more points from the top five than anyone below them too.
That’s because if they play well they are more capable of hurting the top sides than anyone else, and they have proved that time and time again.
Their second-half capitulation against Real Madrid at Anfield was worrying but they had started so well against the champions of Europe – and they are also one of the few teams to have beaten Napoli this season.
In the Premier League, they have beaten City, they have smashed United and they have beaten Newcastle home and away – no-one else has managed that. They’ve definitely not become a bad team overnight.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring the winner in the league game against Manchester City in October. He also scored when the Reds beat City 3-1 at Wembley in the Community Shield in August and was on target again when City won 3-2 at Etihad Stadium in the Carabao Cup in DecemberLiverpool’s Premier League results against the top five in 2022-23HomeTeamAway9 AprilArsenalLost 3-2Won 1-0Man City1 AprilWon 7-0Man UtdLost 2-130 AprilTottenhamWon 2-1Won 2-1NewcastleWon 2-0Will City and Arsenal fear the Reds?
Liverpool won’t really care who wins the title now because they are thinking about themselves and making the top four, but they have a big say in who becomes champions.
Apart from when City and Arsenal play each other, Liverpool are the most dangerous opponents they have left. They could even take points off both of them.
Arsenal’s remaining Premier League fixturesHomeAwayLeeds (1 April)Liverpool (9 April)Southampton (21 April)West Ham (16 April)Chelsea (2
Source: BBC Sport | Read More
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