Liverpool are two points ahead in the Premier League standings and have an extra advantage in their remaining home games.
With the Premier League title race potentially the closest it has been for 10 years, every advantage – no matter how minimal they are – will be required.
Liverpool were involved in that three-team battle in the 2013-14 season. They infamously finished second to Manchester City. Steven Gerrard’s unfortunate slip against Chelsea, who would take the bronze medal, has gone down in history for the wrong reasons.
A decade later, Liverpool and City are again doing battle to be crowned champions. It’s become the status quo in recent years. Pep Guardiola’s side have now been crowned champions in four of the past five seasons, with the Reds ending their 30-year wait for a title in 2020. Jurgen Klopp’s side have played bridesmaid twice to City in 2019 and 2022 – agonisingly finishing just a point behind on each occasion.
It’s Liverpool who currently set the pace at the top of the Premier League table by two points. And while City may have a game in hand, a meeting at Anfield on 10 March means that the Reds can control their own fate.
However, Arsenal have scarcely given up hope. Their 3-1 victory over Klopp’s troops at the Emirates Stadium put them back within breathing space. That was followed up by a 6-0 trouncing of West Ham United.
With three months of the campaign remaining, it means that it could come down to fine margins. It could come down to which players for their respective teams can avoid injury or return to action. It could come down to the acumen of Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta.
What’s more, there’s no doubt that fans have to play their part. How much of a boost it could prove then that Liverpool’s Anfield Road End expansion has been given the green light.
The Reds welcomed a record league crowd for their 3-1 win over Burnley last Saturday. Just short of 60,000 were inside Anfield to take in the action. Work on the stand, which was originally set to open in September, was pushed back after main contractors the Buckingham Group entered administration.
And against Burnley, the increase of fans inside the stadium was marked. After the players’ pre-match handshake ensued and You’ll Never Walk Alone started to play, the sheer number of scarves that adorned the Anfield Road End was staggering. Throughout the game, as much noise was created from there as the famous Kop.
At the end of the triumph, the Kop got one of Klopp’s revered triple fist pump. But those who watched on from the Anfield Road End got one of their own. A nod of gratitude, perhaps. Those in the Main Stand were also treated to one.
Liverpool have seven home games remaining in the league. They have just shown their new weapon – and there’s nothing Man City or Arsenal can do about it.
