As the final leg of what has so far been a dire season for Liverpool crawls into view, Jurgen Klopp’s side approach a bundle of matches that have the possibility to definitively save or smite the current campaign.
Within the next month, Liverpool face two of the Premier League’s top four and return to Champions League action – the only competition they have realistic ambitions of winning – in arguably the stand-out tie of the round of 16.
On Monday night, the Reds made a needed return to form by beating Everton 2-0 in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
Here’s what lies in store for Liverpool in the coming weeks.
Eddie Howe’s (centre) Newcastle haven’t lost in the Premier League since playing Liverpool in August / Dan Istitene/GettyImages
In recent years, the trip to Newcastle’s St James’ Park has not been the most daunting destination in Liverpool’s diary.
However, the Reds travel north on Saturday 18 February to face a team that is unbeaten at home all season. Eddie Howe’s side haven’t tasted defeat in front of the Toon Army since Liverpool won 1-0 last April.
Karim Benzema shows off the Champions League trophy Real Madrid won at Liverpool’s expense last summer / Denis Doyle/GettyImages
While searching for a spark to reanimate the dead corpse of the European Super League in October, Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez lamented the lack of historic meetings between Los Blancos and the Reds.
“It turns out we have played Liverpool, a historic team with six European Cups, only nine times in 67 years,” Perez gawked. Don’t worry Florentino, that tally will be bumped up to ten when Madrid travel to Anfield on Tuesday, 21 February at 20:00 (GMT).
Crystal Palace have failed to win their last six home games (D3 L3) / Eddie Keogh/GettyImages
As a player, Patrick Vieira started just three Premier League victories against LIverpool in 14 appearances – and one of those triumphs ended early for the combative midfielder after a second yellow card.
During his brief managerial reign in England’s top flight, Vieira is yet to get one over Klopp’s side. However, the 46-year-old did set Crystal Palace up in a frustrating rearguard which earned a point at Anfield in August.
Ruben Neves…
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