If you’ve spent any time at Anfield lately, you know the atmosphere is... tense. It’s not just the cold January wind whipping off the Mersey. It’s the realization that Arne Slot’s first title defense is starting to feel a bit like a high-wire act where the wire is made of dental floss. Honestly, looking at the liverpool fc premier league fixtures left on the calendar, you’ve got to wonder if the squad has the legs to keep the pace.
We just saw that frustrating 1-1 draw against Burnley. A missed penalty by Dominik Szoboszlai, a goal from Florian Wirtz that should have been the winner, and then a lapse that let Marcus Edwards steal a point. It’s the kind of result that makes fans check the schedule every five minutes, praying for a "easy" run that just isn't coming.
The Immediate Gauntlet: January and February Clashes
Right now, Liverpool is sitting in fourth. Arsenal is miles ahead at the top, and City is—well, they're being City. If Liverpool wants to stay in that Champions League bracket, the next few weeks are basically do-or-die.
The trip to Bournemouth on January 24 is first. On paper? Winable. In reality? Bournemouth has already proven they can be a nightmare at the Vitality. The good news is Mohamed Salah is back from AFCON. He’s the spark they’ve been missing while Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo have been nursing knocks. Slot basically admitted last week that even with a dozen attackers, he’d still be desperate for Mo to come back.
Then comes the big one. Manchester City at Anfield on February 8.
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This is the fixture everyone circles in red ink. If Liverpool drops points here, the "title defense" talk officially turns into "top four scramble." The schedule doesn't let up after that either. You’ve got Sunderland away on February 11 and Nottingham Forest on the 21st. Both are "trap" games. Sunderland at the Stadium of Light is never a fun Wednesday night, and Forest under the lights at the City Ground has derailed better Liverpool teams than this one.
Why the April Schedule is the Real Season-Ender
If the Reds survive February, the month of April is where things get genuinely weird. It’s a mix of local pride and massive pressure.
- April 11: Fulham (H)
- April 18: Everton (A)
- April 25: Crystal Palace (H)
The Merseyside Derby at Bramley-Moore Dock on the 18th is going to be chaotic. It’s one of those liverpool fc premier league fixtures where form goes out the window. Everton would love nothing more than to be the reason Liverpool misses out on the top three.
What's interesting is how the European schedule is going to bleed into this. With the Champions League knockouts happening simultaneously, Slot is going to have to rotate Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez more than he’d probably like. We’ve seen the "heavy metal" football take a toll on the hamstrings before.
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The Final Month: Old Trafford and Beyond
May is just... brutal. Look at this lineup:
- May 2: Manchester United (A)
- May 9: Chelsea (H)
- May 17: Aston Villa (A)
- May 24: Brentford (H)
United away at Old Trafford is never a "given," regardless of how their season is going. Then you have Chelsea at Anfield. We all remember what happened in 2014—fans still have nightmares about those kinds of high-stakes home games against London clubs. Ending the season against Brentford on May 24th at Anfield sounds nice, but only if the work is already done. If they need a win there to secure fourth place, it’s going to be the longest 90 minutes of the year.
Fact-Checking the "Easy" Run Myth
A lot of people think the "smaller" clubs at the end of the season are a blessing. They aren't. By May, teams like Brentford or Nottingham Forest are often fighting for their lives to avoid relegation. They play like their hair is on fire.
Arne Slot’s biggest challenge isn't just the tactical setup; it’s the fatigue. Liverpool has already played a massive number of games this season. The transition from the Klopp era to Slot’s more controlled, "Dutch-style" possession has been mostly successful, but it’s less "chaos" and more "precision." Precision requires mental energy. When you’re playing every three days across the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, precision is the first thing to go.
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Steven Gerrard was on TNT Sports recently saying a draw at home to Burnley is "unacceptable." He’s right. That’s the standard. But look at the table. Only one point separates Liverpool from Manchester United in fifth. The margin for error has basically vanished.
Managing the Remaining Liverpool FC Premier League Fixtures
To actually come out of this season with silverware—or even just a respectable top-three finish—the medical staff is going to be as important as the coaching staff. Getting Salah back into the rhythm immediately is priority one. Keeping the defense from switching off in the final ten minutes (looking at you, Burnley game) is priority two.
If you're planning your weekends around these games, keep an eye on the TV shifts. Sky Sports and TNT are constantly moving these times around for the "big six" clashes. The Sunderland away game on February 11, for instance, is an 8:15 PM kickoff—classic midweek travel nightmare.
Actionable Steps for the Run-In
- Watch the Yellow Cards: Several key midfielders are hovering near suspension limits. One mistimed tackle in February could mean missing the City or United games.
- The Salah Factor: Monitor Mo's minutes. Coming back from a tournament like AFCON usually leads to a "flat" period about three weeks later.
- Home Support: Anfield needs to be a fortress again. The boos after the Burnley draw were a wake-up call, but the team plays better when the crowd is behind them, not on their backs.
- Goal Difference Matters: Right now, Liverpool’s GD is +4. Arsenal is at +26. If it comes down to a tiebreak for a Champions League spot, Liverpool is currently losing that battle. They need a few 3-0 or 4-0 "statement" wins against the bottom half of the table.
The road to May 24th is long. It’s bumpy. And honestly, it’s going to be a bit of a grind. But that’s the Premier League. If it were easy, it wouldn't be worth watching.