Liverpool have consolidated their position at the top of the Premier League rankings after a convincing victory over Tottenham Hotspur. The Kop are currently 4 points ahead of Chelsea and have 1 match left to play. This has given Arne Slot's side the biggest advantage in the title race this season.
However, it is clear that no one is complacent at Anfield. The Reds captain has enough experience and caution to understand that lessons from the past force his team to stay alert.
History does not support Liverpool much when they lead at Christmas. Since the Premier League was born, the Merseyside team has topped the table 7 times on 25 December but has only won the title once. Compared to the overall figure when 16/32 teams leading at Christmas have won the championship, this shows that The Kop often lack steam in the final stages.
Even with Jurgen Klopp in charge, Liverpool have topped the table three times at Christmas, but only once in the 2019-2020 season did they retain the title. Man City is the main opponent to stop the "Red Brigade" when they often have explosive form in the second phase of the season.
In this year's campaign, Chelsea and Arsenal are the two biggest competitors with Liverpool in the championship race. Both are ready to take advantage of any mistake of The Kop. Under the leadership of new captain Enzo Maresca, Chelsea is quietly building the position of a potential candidate.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, despite not having their best performances, have proven their ability to make a strong breakthrough since January last season with 16 wins in the last 18 matches. If The Gunners have all their strength and recreate their destructive form from a year ago, the championship race will last until the final rounds.
In addition, Man City cannot be underestimated in the rest of the season. Pep Guardiola's side have been regularly revived in the second half of the season. If The Citizens have a smooth winter transfer window, they could regain their strength to compete.
Liverpool are currently 4 points ahead but this advantage could disappear quickly. The Reds will face Man United and Nottingham Forest in the next rounds. Notably, Forest are the only team to beat The Kop this season. In addition, Arne Slot and his students have one more compensatory match against Everton at Goodison Park, where they lost last season.
A tight schedule is one of Liverpool's biggest challenges. In the past 2 years, the Anfield team has extended its efforts to compete until March in all 4 arenas but all were short of steam at decisive moments. In the 2021-2022 season, The Kop are only two games away from a quarter-final but in the end, they missed out on both the Premier League and Champions League.
Injuries to Alisson, Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold last season cost Liverpool a blow. If the defensive players continue to have problems, the "Red Brigade" will face great difficulties. Arne Slot may need a versatile defender in the January transfer window to strengthen the squad.
In addition, the Dutch captain will face difficult decisions on prioritizing arenas. Competing in the League Cup and Champions League, along with maintaining strength in the Premier League, could exhaust the team in April and May.
The future of key players such as Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold is also the focus of questions at every press conference. While this has not affected their form, continued attention could become a problem as the pressure increases in the final stages of the season.
If Liverpool do not reach an agreement with the stars before entering the decisive matches, individual mistakes can be exaggerated, affecting the team's spirit. Maintaining focus and minimizing noise off the pitch will be a key factor for The Kop to maintain their form.
Finally, the pressure on Arne Slot will only increase for the rest of the season. He has shown composure and a clear strategy since replacing Klopp. The Dutch coach won the championship with Feyenoord, but the pressure at Liverpool will be a different story. Leading a big team in the decisive period of the season, when fans' expectations are at their peak, is a completely different experience.
