OPINION
Liverpool are within touching distance of a first league title in almost 30 years, but if they are to triumph this season they will have to be perfect from here on out.
Former Reds defender Phil Thompson has taken that literally, asserting that Jurgen Klopp’s team must win every remaining Premier League contest if they are to take the trophy home this term.
“You look at their remaining games and this one [v Tottenham Hotspur] is big,” he told Sky Sports. “People have looked at the Tottenham and Chelsea games against the big six. These are massive.
“Liverpool really have to turn up and the fans realise that. For Liverpool and Manchester City, they have to win every game between now and the end of the season. We’ll see what happens.”
Thompson is setting the Reds a lofty goal there, but it’s what the team must be aiming for down the stretch. If they don’t succeed in that remit then their title hopes could end up in tatters.
Liverpool’s remaining league games are as follows: Tottenham (H), Southampton (A), Chelsea (H), Cardiff City (A), Huddersfield Town (H), Newcastle United (A) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).
The good news there for the Reds is that their three toughest games are all at Anfield: Spurs, Chelsea and Wolves. Make no mistake, the final day tussle with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will be a stiff test, you only have to look at how well Wolves have done against the division’s upper echelon this season to realise that.
Tottenham on Sunday will probably be the trickiest game, though. Mauricio Pochettino’s men have a coterie of world class players who are more than capable of ending Liverpool’s title bid for good.
But, if the Reds are to be lifting Premier League silverware come season’s end, as Thompson says, they must beat Spurs and everyone else. Do that, and title glory will be virtually secured – City are bound to slip up at some point.
