Paul Merson has claimed that the next month will be a ‘defining’ one for Liverpool in their bid to win the Premier League this season, considering the fixtures which lie in wait for the Reds.
February begins with a trip to in-form Bournemouth for Arne Slot’s side, who also face visits to Everton and Manchester City over the subsequent three weeks.
It’s a daunting triple header of away matches in the top flight, and there could yet be another added in the meantime – if we progress to the Carabao Cup final, our match away to Aston Villa will be brought forward to the 19th of this month in order to avoid a fixture clash with the Wembley showpiece.
Merson makes Liverpool title prediction
Merson has given his predictions for the weekend’s Premier League action to Sportskeeda, and he thinks that Liverpool would be impossible to catch if they can claim seven points on the road this month.
He wrote: “February will be a defining month in the Premier League for Liverpool. In addition to their upcoming trip to Bournemouth, they face both Everton and Manchester City away from home this month. If Liverpool get seven points from these three fixtures, they will win the Premier League!
“Then again, you look at these fixtures and think, ‘Bournemouth are bang in form, Everton are a different beast under Moyes and well, Manchester City can beat anyone on their day’. Even though Liverpool have been incredible in the Premier League this season, these games will be tricky to navigate.”
For today’s match at the Vitality Stadium, Merson has predicted a 1-1 draw.
February could make or break Liverpool’s title hopes
February has the makings of a month which could make or break Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes, considering the fixtures which await.
Even if the Villa match remains in its currently scheduled date of 15 March, the Reds’ other away games are all fiendishly difficult. We’ve won on just two of our last 12 visits to Goodison Park and haven’t triumphed at the Etihad Stadium in domestic action for nearly a decade.
Before we can even think about those games, getting three points at Bournemouth today would be massive, with Andoni Iraola’s side flying after they thrashed Nottingham Forest 5-0 last week, dismantling a team who’ve beaten and drawn with us this season.
Even once those fixtures are out of the way, there’s a tough Premier League assignment at Anfield to close out the month as Newcastle visit on 26 February.
If Liverpool get through the next five or six top-flight games in no worse a position than where they are now (six points clear with a game in hand), the prospects of finishing the campaign as champions would feel significantly greater.
