Have Liverpool finally found their groove, or will their back-to-back Premier League triumphs prove to be another false dawn?
The 2022/23 campaign has been bleak for Jurgen Klopp’s men, but optimism had been starting to emerge on the red side of the Mersey ahead of their biggest game of the season so far.
Liverpool played host to continental arch-nemesis Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday night but were blown away by the European champions 5-2 to leave their hopes of quarter final qualification in the mud.
It’s a rather hectic period for the Premier League side, and here’s what their next six fixtures look like after Tuesday’s first leg.
Liverpool have enjoyed themselves at Selhurst Park since that infamous collapse in 2014 which crippled their title hopes. The Reds have won their last eight outings in south London in all competitions, with Palace’s last three victories over Klopp’s side arriving at Anfield.
This upcoming Premier League clash is scheduled for a 19:45 GMT kick-off on Saturday night.
These two sides meet for the 119th time in 2023 at the start of March.
Liverpool sunk to murky depths the last time they faced Julen Lopetegui’s side, losing 3-0 at Molineux, but they did beat Wolves following a replay in the FA Cup before losing at Brighton.
Should Liverpool’s improvement continue – that heavy Real defeat aside – Man Utd’s visit on Super Sunday will be eagerly anticipated by all Premier League enjoyers.
The Red Devils are on the up under Erik ten Hag, but they haven’t won at Anfield since 2016. After claiming victory in the reverse fixture, United will be aiming to complete their first league double over their bitter rivals since the aforementioned 2015/16 season.
All appeared to be well in Klopp’s camp the last time they duelled with the Cherries. A 9-0 victory over Scott Parker’s Bournemouth temporarily eased any fears of a difficult 2022/23 season, but such optimism quickly proved to be a false dawn.
Bournemouth have overachieved under Gary O’Neill, but they’re still a primary contender to succumb to the drop.
Liverpool will head to Madrid knowing only victory by a three-goal margin will keep their hopes of advancing in the Champions League alive.
The Reds’ 2-0 lead was quickly wiped out as Los Blancos asserted themselves with a dominant display in the first leg led by stars like Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior.
The second leg in Madrid has been cited as a potential return date for Colombian forward Luis Diaz, who has been out of action dealing with two knee injuries since October.
Fulham highlighted their credentials on the opening weekend of the season when they drew 2-2 with the Reds.
Marco Silva’s side have been one of the surprises of the season, and they’ll be looking to stun Klopp’s side in the wake of their Spanish venture.
Credit: 90min.com
