Liverpool will be hoping to return to winning ways at the weekend after an inexperienced side succumbed to a 3-2 defeat in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The Merseysiders can otherwise have few complaints; they finished top of the European league table – setting up a meeting with one of PSG, Benfica, Monaco or Brest – and sit six points clear at the Premier League summit.
Had Arne Slot been offered this set of circumstances in August, he’d have latched on to it with both hands.
Regardless, perceptions can change at the drop of a hat in the English top-flight, and the Dutchman can ill afford to see his side’s lead cut down in a difficult month of fixtures.
Coming up next: A trip to the Vitality Stadium to face Andoni Iraola’s exceptional Bournemouth outfit.
Gary Neville predicts outcome of Bournemouth v Liverpool
Following some cheeky arm twisting from Gary Neville (helped in no small part by Roy Keane), Ian Wright was convinced to backtrack on his initial scoreline prediction and instead favour a 2-1 victory for the Cherries.
Evidently, it served the former England international’s needs, as he pulled the trigger on the same scoreline in Liverpool’s favour.
“Oh, that’s an interesting one, Waz [Wayne Rooney]. I’m not feeling that,” the Sky Sports pundit spoke on The Overlap ahead of predictions being made.
His old United teammate helped push Wright away from backing the Merseysiders and Neville took on an opposing view, settling on: “2-1 Liverpool.”
The big question, of course, will be whether we can manage to finally capitalise on our game in hand (the delayed Merseyside derby at Goodison Park) to establish a potential nine-point lead over second-placed Arsenal.
Success across the park, coupled with no slip-ups elsewhere (a big ask ahead of a separate trip to the Etihad Stadium), would surely leave us in an excellent position heading into March.
Only time will tell whether Liverpool will still be showing their title credentials.
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