Liverpool campaign is about to ramp up ahead of their return to action after the March international break.
The Reds welcome Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday 31 March, before embarking into an intense April which will see them play eight matches in just 24 days.
Jurgen Klopp’s squad will at least hope to be boosted by the return of a number of injured players heading into such a period.
Liverpool currently have 10 senior players on the sidelines, though Ibrahima Konate, Darwin Nunez, and Curtis Jones are eyeing up a return against the Seagulls.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota could return at home to Sheffield United on Thursday 4 April, if not away at Manchester United on Sunday 7 April.
While Joel Matip has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury, it remains unclear if Thiago Alcantara will return before the end of the campaign, Alisson Becker, Stefan Bajcetic, and Ben Doak could potentially return later in April, if not May.
With the Premier League and Europa League up for grabs, such returns are very much timely. Especially when you break down not only the quick turnaround, but some of the travelling involved in the Reds’ April period too.
They are currently scheduled to finish the month with four successive away games in just 10 days between April 18 and April 27. Progress to the Europa League semi-finals and that will extend to five successive away matches in 15 days up until May 2.
Liverpool travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday 18 April, kicking off at 8pm, before facing Fulham at Craven Cottage at 4.30pm on Sunday 21 April.
They then return to Merseyside to face Everton at Goodison Park in an 8pm kick-off on Wednesday 24 April – though that kick-off time is subject to change depending on Man City’s Champions League progress.
A dreaded Saturday 12.30pm kick-off then looms away at West Ham United on April 27. And if the Reds progress in the Europa League, they will travel to Lisbon or Marseille on Thursday 2 May with the Ligue 1 club or Benfica lying in wait in the semi-finals.
Such a run-in grants Klopp’s side very little training time beyond matches and recovery, though the intensity could be eased slightly if Arsenal reach the Champions League semi-finals.
Should the Gunners be in European action on Tuesday 30 April, then Liverpool will be spared that Saturday 12.30pm trip to West Ham. Instead, that clash at the London Stadium will take place at 2pm on Sunday 28 April.
Granted the Reds an extra day of preparation off the back of the Merseyside derby, while still having four days before a potential Europa League semi-final away day, it is certainly preferable.
Klopp has previously admitted his surprise that his injury-plagued side came through the last three months of the season relatively unscathed despite a plethora of senior absences.
While their FA Cup exploits came to an end in the quarter-finals away at Manchester United, and they lost 3-1 away at Arsenal in the Premier League, they have still won 14 of their 18 matches in 2024 so far – with such a run including a League Cup final win over Chelsea.
Having lost Premier League top spot to Arsenal on goal difference alone, a potential treble still remains in Liverpool’s sights ahead of Klopp stepping down as manager this summer.
But while they have successfully navigated the last few months, they’ll need all the help they can get as players start to return from injury ahead of this nightmare run at the business end of the campaign.
