Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be frustrated at his side’s inconsistent form in 2017.
Liverpool’s shock home defeat to Crystal Palace has opened up the race for a top-four finish, allowing the likes of Arsenal back into the equation mathematically, as wins in their respective games in hand would see them level on points with Liverpool.
Manchester United can now leapfrog Liverpool in the table should they prove successful with their own games in hand, and now the Merseysiders are relying on their competitors slipping up in the run-in, after previously looking home and dry in the race for a Champions League spot.
Liverpool now playing the waiting game
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side are currently third in the Premier League table this season, but it’s a false position given they’ve played more games than the sides around them. The Reds have 66 points from 34 outings and can only reach 78 points, a total Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal can match or surpass, which means Liverpool are now waiting on the games to even up to find out where they’ll sit in the table after their rivals play their matches in hand.
Form in 2017 has cost the Reds greatly
Liverpool were second in the Premier League table with 43 points from 19 games at the end of 2016, but proceeded to win just one of the seven games that followed in the new year. Six wins in their last 15 league outings shows exactly what is to blame for their Champions League hopes being in the balance, but they have four winnable games to come against sides without any other than pride to play for.
Liverpool’s remaining Premier League games
(1/5/17) Watford (away)
(7/5/17) Southampton (home)
(14/5/17) West Ham United (away)
(21/5/17) Middlesbrough (home)
Liverpool need a perfect finish to the season at the bare minimum to ensure they’re putting pressure on the likes of City, United and Arsenal in the run-in. Should the Merseysiders get to 78 points, United would need five wins just to match Liverpool’s total, while Arsenal need seven wins to go level with Klopp’s side.
The Reds are still in a strong position provided they don’t slip-up again in their remaining games, but their dip in form has given some of the momentum to the in-form duo chasing them in the table. Liverpool are 1/2 to finish in the top-four of the Premier League table this season.
Can Klopp’s men recover to cement their European spot for the following campaign?
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