Title Race Fixtures

[Insidious]

I've said a number of times throughout the season that (for me personally) I don't regard a title "race" as starting before the last 10-12 games, with the 26-28 games before then essentially acting as a qualifying stage you must navigate to earn the "right" to participate.

We're now on the cusp of that. I haven't stuck this thread up with a view to discussing the run-in (though given the title that may inevitably happen) but rather to have a quick point of reference for LFC Online users to see when ourselves and our rivals (such as they are) play their respective games.

Liverpool - Klopp would be the first Manager to win 2 League titles at a club competing against a team managed by Pep in the same League

Luton - Home - Feb 21st
Nottingham Forest - Away Mar 2nd
Man City - Home - March 10th
Everton - Away - March 17th
Brighton - Home - March 31st
Sheffield United - Home - April 3rd
Man United - Away - April 6th
Crystal Palace - Home - April 13th
Fulham - Away - April 20th
West Ham - Away - April 27th
Tottenham - Home - May 4th
Aston Villa - Away - May 11th
Wolves - Home - May 19th

Man City - would be the first to win 4 Premier League titles in a row

Brentford - Home - Feb 20th
Bournemouth - Away - Feb 24th
Man United - Home - March 3rd
Liverpool - Away - March 10th
Brighton - Away - March 17th
Arsenal - Home - March 31st
Aston Villa - Home - April 3rd
Crystal Palace - Away - April 6th
Luton - Home - April 13th
Tottenham - Away - April 20th
Nottingham Forest - Away - April 27th
Wolves - Home - May 4th
Fulham - Away - May 11th
West Ham - Home - May 19th

Arsenal - Arteta would be the youngest Manager to win a Premier League

Newcastle - Home - February 24th
Sheffield United - Away - March 4th
Brentford - Home - March 9th
Chelsea - Home - March 16th
Man City - Away - March 31st
Luton - Home - April 2nd
Brighton - Away - April 6th
Aston Villa - Home - April 13th
Wolves - Away - April 20th
Tottenham - Away - April 27th
Bournemouth - Home - May 4th
Man United - Away - May 11th
Everton - Home - May 19th

A passing glance and casual observations that stick out that may be significant later (not yet) -

- All 3 sides will be at Home on the last day of the season, so you'd seriously back whoever is top after 37 games to win the League.
- All 3 sides must play Tottenham, who still have European ambitions. Liverpool are the only side who get to play them at Home - it's an away trip for Man City and for Arsenal.
- All 3 sides must play Man United, who still have European ambitions. Man City are the only side that don't have to go to Old Trafford.
- Man City and Arsenal must play each other AFTER ourselves and Man City have faced off at Anfield - those two duke it out on March 31st while we entertain Brighton at Anfield - a match we absolutely have to win to either extend a lead or claw one back. Theoretically we could be top with 8 games to go, which could definitely raise the belief levels a notch or two.
- Arsenal arguably have the most tricky last two fixtures - a potential relegation candidate and a potential Champion's League candidate.
- Man City's final four matches is the easiest last two, quite comfortably.

[HLOGI]

I've said a number of times throughout the season that (for me personally) I don't regard a title "race" as starting before the last 10-12 games, with the 26-28 games before then essentially acting as a qualifying stage you must navigate to earn the "right" to participate.

We're now on the cusp of that. I haven't stuck this thread up with a view to discussing the run-in (though given the title that may inevitably happen) but rather to have a quick point of reference for LFC Online users to see when ourselves and our rivals (such as they are) play their respective games.

Liverpool - Klopp would be the first Manager to win 2 League titles at a club competing against a team managed by Pep in the same League

Luton - Home - Feb 21st
Nottingham Forest - Away Mar 2nd
Man City - Home - March 10th
Everton - Away - March 17th
Brighton - Home - March 31st
Sheffield United - Home - April 3rd
Man United - Away - April 6th
Crystal Palace - Home - April 13th
Fulham - Away - April 20th
West Ham - Away - April 27th
Tottenham - Home - May 4th
Aston Villa - Away - May 11th
Wolves - Home - May 19th

Man City - would be the first to win 4 Premier League titles in a row

Brentford - Home - Feb 20th
Bournemouth - Away - Feb 24th
Man United - Home - March 3rd
Liverpool - Away - March 10th
Brighton - Away - March 17th
Arsenal - Home - March 31st
Aston Villa - Home - April 3rd
Crystal Palace - Away - April 6th
Luton - Home - April 13th
Tottenham - Away - April 20th
Nottingham Forest - Away - April 27th
Wolves - Home - May 4th
Fulham - Away - May 11th
West Ham - Home - May 19th

Arsenal - Arteta would be the youngest Manager to win a Premier League

Newcastle - Home - February 24th
Sheffield United - Away - March 4th
Brentford - Home - March 9th
Chelsea - Home - March 16th
Man City - Away - March 31st
Luton - Home - April 2nd
Brighton - Away - April 6th
Aston Villa - Home - April 13th
Wolves - Away - April 20th
Tottenham - Away - April 27th
Bournemouth - Home - May 4th
Man United - Away - May 11th
Everton - Home - May 19th

A passing glance and casual observations that stick out that may be significant later (not yet) -

- All 3 sides will be at Home on the last day of the season, so you'd seriously back whoever is top after 37 games to win the League.
- All 3 sides must play Tottenham, who still have European ambitions. Liverpool are the only side who get to play them at Home - it's an away trip for Man City and for Arsenal.
- All 3 sides must play Man United, who still have European ambitions. Man City are the only side that don't have to go to Old Trafford.
- Man City and Arsenal must play each other AFTER ourselves and Man City have faced off at Anfield - those two duke it out on March 31st while we entertain Brighton at Anfield - a match we absolutely have to win to either extend a lead or claw one back. Theoretically we could be top with 8 games to go, which could definitely raise the belief levels a notch or two.
- Arsenal arguably have the most tricky last two fixtures - a potential relegation candidate and a potential Champion's League candidate.
- Man City's final four matches is the easiest last two, quite comfortably.

All games in the PL are tough but if Arsenal come away with maximum pts from their remaining away fixture then I will say they will be champions. Those are pretty tough away games to have at the end.

[justme]

I think we should over look the Europa league. play our best available players for the league and league cup final.
If we get through the ties in the Europa league so be it. but we can't manage 8 more fixtures in between league fixtures.

[teesred]

All games in the PL are tough but if Arsenal come away with maximum pts from their remaining away fixture then I will say they will be champions. Those are pretty tough away games to have at the end.

I'll be amazed if they don't shit their pants again.
They're like Wesley Snipes in white men can't jump.
They'd rather look good and lose than look bad and win. Well, they don't but you catch my drift. They're a bit style over substance.

[Insidious]

I'll be amazed if they don't shit their pants again.
They're like Wesley Snipes in white men can't jump.
They'd rather look good and lose than look bad and win. Well, they don't but you catch my drift. They're a bit style over substance.

A pal texted me an interesting bit of info that I would love to see verified.

Apparently there's a group of 9 Arsenal lads that are part of Arsenal's most regular 11 participants and if you add up the number of games missed through injury by these 9 lads it's a mere 5 matches - absolutely wild to reach February and to have had the option to go (almost) full-strength almost all of the time.

Think if the rhythm/synergy/chemistry/understanding of patterns of play in that team. They'll be right in the groove of peak-form right now and if they can continue to avoid injury for 3-and-a-bit months they have every chance.

[CCTV]

I think we should over look the Europa league. play our best available players for the league and league cup final.
If we get through the ties in the Europa league so be it. but we can't manage 8 more fixtures in between league fixtures.

Its a quadruple or Klopp OUT !!

[Insidious]

I think we should over look the Europa league. play our best available players for the league and league cup final.
If we get through the ties in the Europa league so be it. but we can't manage 8 more fixtures in between league fixtures.

Tricky that - I can completely understand the feeling that something has to "give" due to the combination of a congested fixture list and the lengthy list of injured players, but equally we are going to need to call upon youth, fringe and back-up players too - and lads like that will need minutes.

Players like Tsimikas, Elliott, Bradley (if Trent is back reasonably quickly) or Gomez (at centre-back) and Quansah all have a part to play. Some of those Europa fixtures may very well prove useful for keeping them sharp, which means they are ready if they need to be called upon for the League either due to injuries or simply to free someone up to get off the pitch for the last 20 minutes to manage any legginess. It may also mean that such lads are a bit more confident if called upon for an FA Cup quarter or semi-final match too.

There's also the "occasion" aspect of the Europa - a Final that takes place in Ireland would be absolutely manic for Irish Reds and is an easy trip for Scouse Reds.

It's also the one Tournament we haven't won under Klopp. It would be lovely for the history books to see him winning the lot with us.

[justme]

Tricky that - I can completely understand the feeling that something has to "give" due to the combination of a congested fixture list and the lengthy list of injured players, but equally we are going to need to call upon youth, fringe and back-up players too - and lads like that will need minutes.

Players like Tsimikas, Elliott, Bradley (if Trent is back reasonably quickly) or Gomez (at centre-back) and Quansah all have a part to play. Some of those Europa fixtures may very well prove useful for keeping them sharp, which means they are ready if they need to be called upon for the League either due to injuries or simply to free someone up to get off the pitch for the last 20 minutes to manage any legginess. It may also mean that such lads are a bit more confident if called upon for an FA Cup quarter or semi-final match too.

There's also the "occasion" aspect of the Europa - a Final that takes place in Ireland would be absolutely manic for Irish Reds and is an easy trip for Scouse Reds.

It's also the one Tournament we haven't won under Klopp. It would be lovely for the history books to see him winning the lot with us.

we are not gonna win the lot.. the league is the priority. if we fall short in all its because we focussed on all. but im sure you'll have something to say about it ,not being too bad.

[Insidious]

we are not gonna win the lot.. the league is the priority. if we fall short in all its because we focussed on all.

Agree we won't win the lot and agree the League is the priority - I still think there's a way to realistically challenge for the Europa due to the Nature of the format and the quality of some of our fringe players, but would absolutely prioritise the League.

What I'd hate to see is us go "all-in" on the League, go "half-assed" at the other comps and fail to win almost everything while we miss the League by a point again - I think everyone wants a successful season, however that manifests itself.

[Steveo]

It’s a very real prospect now with so many injuries. Spurs apart, we’ve had some good fortune this season, but the luck has defo flipped 180 these last few weeks.

Hopefully it can swing back again