Topic: The Title Race 2023/24- Jurgen's Last Dance

[stevied]

Massive weekend coming up , full squad and we would all be happier, can the current squad go to the well again against City, hopefully Robbo Endo and Mo are fully fit and they will help , need the place bouncing Pep knows how difficult this next game will be , ramp it up in the stadium and give them hell

[Andar]

I shouldn't be quoting Neville but he is right in saying ourselves and Arsenal have to beat them for our own cause. It goes beyond the points you take from them. It would be a hit to City's belief. They have came out on top in every close title battle under Guardiola - 2x Liverpool and 1x Arsenal. We need send a jolt to their system. They will start doubting themselves ahead of a few other difficult fixtures.

A draw and a point behind us, they will strongly back themselves whilst we will be nervously looking over with that point lead.

[killer-heels]

I shouldn't be quoting Neville but he is right in saying ourselves and Arsenal have to beat them for our own cause. It goes beyond the points you take from them. It would be a hit to City's belief. They have came out on top in every close title battle under Guardiola - 2x Liverpool and 1x Arsenal. We need send a jolt to their system. They will start doubting themselves ahead of a few other difficult fixtures.

A draw and a point behind us, they will strongly back themselves whilst we will be nervously looking over with that point lead.

I dont think the 21/22 season race is properly analysed. It was a strange season in that a lot of City’s toughest games were in the beginning of the season but they did well in those and that meant that not only did they have a good lead but they didnt have a tough run in if you look at their games from this point onward.

I know people make out we lost in that title race but for me we were coming from a fair distance back and if you look at the table on New Years day, most people had handed City the league.

[Andar]

I dont think the 21/22 season race is properly analysed. It was a strange season in that a lot of City’s toughest games were in the beginning of the season but they did well in those and that meant that not only did they have a good lead but they didnt have a tough run in if you look at their games from this point onward.

I know people make out we lost in that title race but for me we were coming from a fair distance back and if you look at the table on New Years day, most people had handed City the league.

Yes I understand but the truth is they came out on top of another close tight battle. They held their nerve like they so often do in the last few months.

This is a home game against them in the final few months. We have a chance to hit them hard and we must take it.

[Suareznumber7]

Draw is not ok.
We have been here before.
We have to beat them and for once we have them at Anfield during the business end. Draw at Etihad was ok. We need to beat them at home and buy ourselves if only a bit of breathing room.

Yup.  we have to win all of our remaining league games. 

[Andar]

Yup.  we have to win all of our remaining league games.

One draw and 94 points will definitely be enough.

Even 91 or 92 points should get us over the line. Any less than that and I'm not so sure.

[MonsLibpool]

It's not a title decider because it's still too early. However, it's a chance to land a psychological blow.

Let's just try to win this and then focus on winning the next one and the one after that...

[Andar]

This would be a dream scenario once the City-Arsenal game is up. We beat City and Brighton whilst City-Arsenal ends in a draw.

Assuming Arsenal beat Sheff Utd and Brentford. Table would look something like this:

Liverpool 69pts
Arsenal 65pts
City 63pts

Or if more likely City beat Arsenal:

Liverpool 69pts
City 65pts
Arsenal 64pts

What a great situation that would be to find ourselves in. Especially with Sheff Utd (H), Palace (H), Fulham (A) being 3 out of the next 4 games. Utd away will be the banana skin but both City and Arsenal will have one or two difficult fixtures in that period too.

[TSC]

I shouldn't be quoting Neville but he is right in saying ourselves and Arsenal have to beat them for our own cause. It goes beyond the points you take from them. It would be a hit to City's belief. They have came out on top in every close title battle under Guardiola - 2x Liverpool and 1x Arsenal. We need send a jolt to their system. They will start doubting themselves ahead of a few other difficult fixtures.

A draw and a point behind us, they will strongly back themselves whilst we will be nervously looking over with that point lead.

A win gives us 4 point cushion over them to get play with.  Not a massive cushion, but decent given they play Arsenal soon too, as games run diown.  One or both will obviously drop points there.

[mikey_LFC]

If we win then we become favourites, in my book.

If we draw then we could still extend our gap before April, should the Man City - Arsenal match also end in a draw.

Come 18:30 on March 31st the situation will be a lot clearer, and we’ll know exactly what we need to do in the remaining 9 games at that point. 9 very winnable games.

I think City win at least 8 of their remaining games (giving them a minimum of 86 points), the 3 I’m unsure of are Liverpool (A), Arsenal (H) and Spurs (A). I don’t think they win them all but they might win 2 of those (giving them a max of 93 points).

I think Arsenal will fall short of 86 points. They’ve still got City (A), Spurs (A), United (A), Brighton (A), Wolves (A) and Villa (H) to contend with. There current PPG points to 84 points. I don’t think they’ll improve much in that if at all with those fixtures still to come. They might do us a favour though.

[latortuga]

We must risk it all and go for the win.

That's what Klopp would do.

[OOS]

We need Anfield rocking next week. Everyone on the pints or coffee or whatever at 10 bells. Get in that ground and make it feral. I want that baldy c*nt head to fall off, I want Harvey Elliot to feel 6 foot 10. League title to be won. Beat City and its in our hands.

[JackWard33]

I shouldn't be quoting Neville but he is right in saying ourselves and Arsenal have to beat them for our own cause. It goes beyond the points you take from them. It would be a hit to City's belief. They have came out on top in every close title battle under Guardiola - 2x Liverpool and 1x Arsenal. We need send a jolt to their system. They will start doubting themselves ahead of a few other difficult fixtures.

A draw and a point behind us, they will strongly back themselves whilst we will be nervously looking over with that point lead.

Completely disagree - a draw is a perfectly good result for us
It’s not a must win it’s a must not lose

[BobPaisley3]

The champions league will play a massive role in deciding the title.

[TipTopKop]

The champions league will play a massive role in deciding the title.

I've said so a few times as well. They will get pulled into some key midweek fixtures, and hopefully it will have an impact on them.

[BobPaisley3]

I've said so a few times as well. They will get pulled into some key midweek fixtures, and hopefully it will have an impact on them.

Yep, them and Arsenal. Been hoping against hope for a while now that they draw eachother either next round or semis.

[Air Jota]

Beating City is important, but a draw isnt the end of the world. Hopefully we can get the job done because it would give us even more confidence in the remaining games

[stonecold_jpm]

I agree that we do have to win against City if we are to win the league. Thats just the way I see it. A draw wouldn’t be a disaster but a win would just have huge implications.

Any team that has shown some adventure and ambition against them has got something. And we will do exactly that. I think it’ll be a great game but we all know what their game plan is going to be. They will come to try and kill the crowd, kill the game and play as much keep ball as they can. It did not work last season at Anfield, hopefully it doesn’t work this season either.

It did work they had 63% possession and we couldn’t get the ball, part of it was our midfield issues so we were forced to sit back and counter. We’re unlikely to sit back this time round so expect goals.

[Caston]

Absolutely massive game coming up.

If Anfield is bang up for it, I can see them wilting. A win would be huge, a draw not a disaster, but simply can not lose. Going to be a nervous wreck watching the game.

[Nick110581]

Id love to play them of the park with a comfortable 2/3-0 win.
This is one season though where i dont see arsenal dropping off and it wouldn't surprise me if they go the rest of the season unbeaten and are still in it with one game to go.

Arsenal going unbeaten would be some feat considering they have to go to City and Spurs in that run.

Champions League may play a part if either of them draw each other or Madrid.

Next two matches for each side feel pivotal though.

[Persephone]

The champions league will play a massive role in deciding the title.

I hope they both qualify for the next round... And then draw each other. A very physically intensive round of fixtures is exactly what Arsenal need to crumble. Their start to 2024 has been very gentle.

[jckliew]

9 March,
Liverpool - City Draw
Arsenal - Brentford Home win

Liverpool 64
City        63
Arsenal   61

31st March
Liverpool- Brighton Liverpool win
City-Arsenal Draw

Liverpool 67
City        64
Arsenal   62

[Nick110581]

9 March,
Liverpool - City Draw
Arsenal - Brentford Home win

Liverpool 64
City        63
Arsenal   61

31st March
Liverpool- Brighton Liverpool win
City-Arsenal Draw

Liverpool 67
City        64
Arsenal   62

Arsenal would on 65 as they have Shedf United away too.

[Mister Flip Flop]

Next Sunday's atmosphere will be the difference. The bus welcome alone will be epic and can only lift the players to another level. The plastic cheats will melt in the face of it.

[spider-neil]

Next weekend is the biggest game of the season including the League Cup final.

[Nick110581]

Next weekend is the biggest game of the season including the League Cup final.

It’s arguably the biggest League match since Klopp has been here.

[spider-neil]

It’s arguably the buggiest League match since Klopp has been here.

Hopefully, we get the Liverpool software engineers to sort it out.

[Nick110581]

Hopefully, we get the Liverpool software engineers to sort it out.

😃

I still think a draw is a good result but it does leave no wiggle room.

[spider-neil]

😃

I still think a draw is a good result but it does leave no wiggle room.

I guess a draw is a good result but if Arsenal beat SU and Brentford (likely) then it's no longer in our own hands.

[Nick110581]

I guess a draw is a good result but if Arsenal beat SU and Brentford (likely) then it's no longer in our own hands.

That’s true.

We may be second going into the match as well.

[Bennett]

I guess a draw is a good result but if Arsenal beat SU and Brentford (likely) then it's no longer in our own hands.

Arsenal then go to the Etihad so it would be back in our hands in a week.

[Tokyoite]

I hope they both qualify for the next round... And then draw each other. A very physically intensive round of fixtures is exactly what Arsenal need to crumble. Their start to 2024 has been very gentle.

I wouldn't mind if they get tough games next round, go through and are then eliminated in the semi's.
Or an Arsenal - Abu Dhabi semi-final and whoever goes through loses the final.

[jckliew]

Beat City and it gets much more difficult for them. And it lifts our spirit up.

[Knight]

Arsenal then go to the Etihad so it would be back in our hands in a week.

Unless they win. And if they beat City Arsenal become huge favourites. They’re the joker in this title run in. Every other season we’ve competed for the title it’s been a 2 horse race. May well be 3 this time.

[killer-heels]

Thing with Arsenal is their underlying numbers have them as the best performing side in the league. There is an argument that they may have peaked too early as they have a pretty difficult set of fixtures in April.

[RyanBabel19]

Arsenal are performing very well right now. Interesting whether they can sustain it and what would happen were they to drop points in a game they should be winning (on paper), they will be vary aware of the perception of their mental strength in comparison to us and City.

A draw for us vs City isn't a terrible result but it opens the door for Arsenal and prevents us having breathing space ahead of both sides (with Arsenal still to play City). Drawing against City would give both of them a lift mentally

[Jookie]

Thing with Arsenal is their underlying numbers have them as the best performing side in the league. There is an argument that they may have peaked too early as they have a pretty difficult set of fixtures in April.

It’s interesting how dismissive a lot of Liverpool fans are about Arsenal being a threat in this title race.


They are definitely 3rd favourites but at this point I don’t think there’s that much difference (in terms of title favourites) between the 3 teams. Arsenal have the toughest fixtures left and are a few points behind.


In my mind if I had to quantify likelihood to win the league from today i’d say City have a 50% chance, Liverpool 30% and Arsenal 20%. The next 2 league games could turn that on its head though. City and Brighton at home is 2 tough games. Liverpool away and Arsenal at home is 2 of the toughest games of the season for City (think they have Villa week after that). Arsenal have 2 relatively straight forward games before City away.

The league title won’t be decided by end of March but I’d expect who we view as favourites and who we view as outsiders may have changed dramatically. Exciting stuff and much rather this than chasing a Top 4 spot.

[Crosby Nick]

I’m not dismissive of Arsenal, I just think City are the bigger threat. I find it hard to see a world where we finish above City but don’t win the league because Arsenal are ahead of us both. I was out with an Arsenal mate on Saturday and he’s the same - he sees City as the team to beat.

[PatriotScouser]

The danger with thinking the City game next week is the be all, end all is that we've been here before.......10 years ago to be exact.

I am of the opinion that I see all 3 of us dropping points in this run in. I don't see a team winning 10 in a row like in previous seasons, but I could be wrong.

Next week is definitely more of a must not lose than a must win game but even if we were to lose, I still would not give up hope. But if we were to draw we'd still somewhat be in the drivers seat.

I still think the game at Old Trafford and Spurs at home will be our more defining games for us and in some ways harder to navigate than the City game - as the city game will take care of itself from a emotional viewpoint.

But I am trying to underline really is that next week whilst going someway to deciding our chances in winning the league - we'd still have 10 games left so it is still a good chunk of the season to go.

[Raid]

We have to win on Sunday. It's a golden opportunity, we've been involved in a number of title races with this lot now, but this is the first time we enter March, in the lead, and the advantage of having them come to a feral Anfield where they have notoriously wilted in the heat of battle on numerous occasions in the past.

If we win, we have clear daylight from them going into those championship rounds, the last ten games. That is not a situation we have been able to get ourselves into before. That will rachet the pressure up on City going into their games against the likes of Arsenal, where a draw would not be enough for them.

The stakes are incredibly high. A draw is ok, but a win would be utopia. We know from experience that they won't drop many, if any, points outside of the games against us. If we can seize the opportunity on Sunday, we'll have an incredible opportunity to go on and win the Premier League.