Premier League – The Empire of The Kop https://www.empireofthekop.com Blog about Liverpool F.C. (LFC) and the Kop from true supporters for supporters worldwide. Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:37:17 +0100 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.9 95610221 ‘The one worry…’ – Journalist cites big Liverpool doubt which could scupper Reds’ title hopes https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/16/neil-jones-liverpool-worry-tittle-race/ https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/16/neil-jones-liverpool-worry-tittle-race/#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2024 10:05:15 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=253062 Liverpool’s Premier League title fate is no longer in their own hands after taking just one point from their last two games, which has given Manchester City the chance to jump above them and lead the way going into the final six matches of the campaign. The Reds are still only two points behind Pep […]

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Liverpool’s Premier League title fate is no longer in their own hands after taking just one point from their last two games, which has given Manchester City the chance to jump above them and lead the way going into the final six matches of the campaign.

The Reds are still only two points behind Pep Guardiola’s side and will go above them with a win at Fulham on Sunday, as the Etihad Stadium outfit are on FA Cup duty against Chelsea next weekend, so all is certainly not lost in the pursuit of domestic glory.

However, the margin for error has now disappeared, and journalist Neil Jones has raised the question as to whether Jurgen Klopp’s team would take advantage of any potential slip-ups by Man City or Arsenal.

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Speaking to EOTK Insider, he said: “There are still six games to go. You look at the league table and think, ‘If Arsenal can [lose] at home by Aston Villa, Manchester City could lose at Tottenham!’ Arsenal also have to play Tottenham, for what it’s worth, so there is the potential for twists and turns.

“The one worry that I have now, and the one worry that’s fair to have around Liverpool, is even if the other two slip up, you wonder if Liverpool are going to be faultless. I think they’ll have to be if they’re going to win the league and I’m just not sure whether they’re in the position at this moment in time to win the last six.”

READ MORE: ‘Expect that to be sorted…’ – Neil Jones allays Liverpool fans’ worries over Anfield duo

READ MORE: (Video) David Ornstein claims Liverpool could ‘think outside of the obvious’ in manager search

Despite the recent slump which has seen us go three games without a win for the first time all season, Liverpool are definitely not out of the Premier League title race just yet.

However, Jones is right in saying that the Reds simply can’t afford to drop any more points in the run-in, especially if either of both of Man City and Arsenal were to stumble.

If we win our six remaining matches and still fall short, similar to how we ended the 2018/19 campaign, it’ll leave a tinge of regret but at least it’d come with the recognition that we couldn’t have done any more during those half-dozen fixtures.

On the other hand, if our title rivals slip up but we fail to take advantage and end up missing out by a point in the final reckoning, that’d be far more difficult to bear, knowing that the opportunity was there to pounce and it went begging.

Liverpool will almost certainly need six wins out of six from hereon, and the Reds should only concern themselves with taking care of their own business. So long as Klopp’s team do their bit, there’s a chance that we might leapfrog City yet.

🚨 EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Niko Kovac rumours, what if Amorim stays at Sporting? Summer contract calls, Crystal Palace review and much more!

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(Video) Richard Keys and Andy Gray disagree over Liverpool’s title hopes after damaging defeat https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/14/keys-gray-disagree-liverpool-title-hopes/ https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/14/keys-gray-disagree-liverpool-title-hopes/#comments Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:52:54 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252995 Richard Keys and Andy Gray had differing opinions as to whether or not Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes are sunk after their defeat to Crystal Palace today. A hugely damaging week has seen the Reds drop five points in two top-flight matches and go down 0-3 to Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-finals, all but […]

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Richard Keys and Andy Gray had differing opinions as to whether or not Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes are sunk after their defeat to Crystal Palace today.

A hugely damaging week has seen the Reds drop five points in two top-flight matches and go down 0-3 to Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-finals, all but ending their hopes of winning that competition.

Speaking on beIN SPORTS moments after the final whistle at Anfield this afternoon as he noticed the desolate faces on the LFC players, Keys said: “And then there were two. They know.

“It very much depends on what Arsenal do against Aston Villa shortly, but right now you’d have to draw the conclusion that that marks the end of Liverpool’s title chase.”

Gray agreed that the Reds are now outsiders in the titler race but refused to rule them out entirely, replying: “Not quite. It makes them third favourites. They’re still in it. Did anyone expect this today? There are plenty of games left, Richard, but of the three now, they look the least likely.”

We’re with the former Everton striker on this one – the last two league results have been hugely damaging for Liverpool’s title hopes, but they’re still only two points behind Manchester City, who began the day top of the table.

With six matches still to play, it’s far from implausible that Jurgen Klopp’s side could fight back to lift the trophy in five week’s time, but they certainly can’t afford too many more days like this one, where they wasted so many chances against Palace and ended up regretting it.

Down but not out – we keep fighting!

You can view the post-match reaction from Keys and Gray below, via @beINSPORTS_EN on X:

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(Video) TNT Sports pundits predict every Liverpool result to end of season in title race verdict https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/14/woods-ferdinand-liverpool-predicted-results-title-race/ https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/14/woods-ferdinand-liverpool-predicted-results-title-race/#respond Sun, 14 Apr 2024 08:23:26 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252952 We’re now at that stage of the season where every fixture can be analysed in terms of where the Premier League title race may be won or lost for Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City. Ahead of this weekend’s matches, TNT Sports pundits Laura Woods and Rio Ferdinand took on the task of predicting each result […]

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We’re now at that stage of the season where every fixture can be analysed in terms of where the Premier League title race may be won or lost for Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City.

Ahead of this weekend’s matches, TNT Sports pundits Laura Woods and Rio Ferdinand took on the task of predicting each result for those three teams in the run-in to the campaign, and duly coming out with who they think will be crowned champions on or before 19 May.

The ex-Manchester United defender believes that the Reds will go unbeaten in their final seven games but slip up with draws at Fulham, Everton and Aston Villa, duly finishing third in the table and missing out to City by three points.

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Woods’ predictions offer greater hope to Liverpool fans, as she thinks Jurgen Klopp will win every remaining match as a Premier League manager.

However, even that mightn’t be enough to see him end his reign at Anfield with the title, as she’s also predicted Arsenal and City to be perfect from hereon, with the Gunners pipping us to first place on goal difference.

Obviously neither of those scenarios is desirable to us, as we’d dearly love for Klopp to bow out with a second Premier League crown, but if one of those selections had to play out, we’d rather it be Ferdinand’s so that we’re not left nursing the agony of missing out on glory by the wafer-thin criterion of goal difference.

You can view the pundits’ predictions in full below, via TNT Sports on YouTube:

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Liverpool fixture moved for TV coverage; Klopp may have mixed feelings over new date & time https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/10/aston-villa-liverpool-new-fixture-date/ Wed, 10 Apr 2024 15:34:07 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252789 Liverpool’s exact Premier League schedule for the 2023/24 season is now complete, with the time and date of their penultimate fixture having been set. The remaining TV picks for the campaign were confirmed on the EPL’s official website today, with the Reds’ trip to Aston Villa being moved to Monday 13 May with an 8pm […]

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Liverpool’s exact Premier League schedule for the 2023/24 season is now complete, with the time and date of their penultimate fixture having been set.

The remaining TV picks for the campaign were confirmed on the EPL’s official website today, with the Reds’ trip to Aston Villa being moved to Monday 13 May with an 8pm kick off, live on Sky Sports.

It means that all of our league matches up to the final day of the season have been selected for TV coverage by one of the two main UK broadcasters, as is befitting of a team involved in the title race.

READ MORE: ‘You never know…’ – £40k-p/w Liverpool gem isn’t giving up hope of making it to Euro 2024

READ MORE: ‘At this moment…’ – Jurgen Klopp outlines his intentions after he finishes at Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp may have mixed feelings about the rescheduled time and date of Liverpool’s trip to Villa Park next month.

On the one hand, it’ll ensure a four-day rest between a potential Europa League semi-final and that visit to the Midlands, a relatively generous gap when balancing domestic and continental commitments.

Should the Reds be eliminated by Atalanta in the quarter-finals, it means we’ll have eight days from the home game against Tottenham to prepare for the clash against Unai Emery’s side.

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Klopp has voiced his anger on more than one occasion about Liverpool being given Saturday 12:30 kick-offs straight after an international break or a Wednesday night fixture, so he’ll likely be appreciative of the longer break this time around.

Conversely, playing last on the penultimate weekend of the season means that Manchester City and Arsenal both have the chance to secure wins for themselves before our game, which in turn would ramp up the pressure on us to get a result.

There’s a lot to be said for playing before your direct rivals and laying down a marker for them to match, with the luxury of putting your feet up by the time their fixture comes around.

Whatever way Klopp might look at it, at least we now have clarity over our full Premier League schedule for the rest of the campaign.

🚨 EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

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‘I’ve had this feeling…’ – Wayne Rooney drops reluctant Liverpool title race prediction https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/09/rooney-liverpool-title-race-prediction/ Tue, 09 Apr 2024 09:37:39 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252689 As a boyhood Evertonian who later spent 13 years at Manchester United, Wayne Rooney won’t exactly be relishing the prospect of Liverpool winning the Premier League this season. However, that’s what the 38-year-old thinks will happen, even after the Reds carelessly dropped points against his former club on Sunday. Speaking on Premier League Productions, the ex-England […]

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As a boyhood Evertonian who later spent 13 years at Manchester United, Wayne Rooney won’t exactly be relishing the prospect of Liverpool winning the Premier League this season.

However, that’s what the 38-year-old thinks will happen, even after the Reds carelessly dropped points against his former club on Sunday.

Speaking on Premier League Productions, the ex-England international believes that the experience of key figures such as Jurgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk will get us over the line.

With unconcealed reluctance, Rooney said: “It’s not my romantic side saying it, and I hope they don’t, but I’ve had this feeling for a while now that Liverpool might just snatch the title. Klopp will use his experience and Van Dijk will use his experience to win the title. I just think that Liverpool will edge it.”

READ MORE: 5/6 duels won: Liverpool had scouts watching 22y/o destroyer last weekend

READ MORE: (Video) ‘I will never forget…’ – Guardiola makes his admiration for Jurgen Klopp crystal clear

Although Arsenal have huge momentum and Manchester City have all the title-winning experience in the world, Liverpool certainly can’t be discounted as potential Premier League champions this season.

The late equaliser to salvage a point at Old Trafford was the latest example of the Reds fighting back from a losing position to earn a result, even if it wasn’t the victory they required to go back to the summit.

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Also, Klopp has managed to keep his team firmly in the title hunt despite almost all of his first-team players enduring spells out injured this term, including lengthy absences for the likes of Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota, all of whom are close to a comeback.

Sunday’s draw against United showed that Liverpool will need to be a lot more clinical if they’re to avoid squandering more points over the final seven league games of the season, but the impending return of the Portuguese maestro should help considerably in that regard.

Rooney caused us enough anguish during his playing days – now it’s time to leave him squirming at the prospective sight of Van Dijk hoisting the Premier League trophy at Anfield on 19 May!

🚨 EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

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(Video) How the Premier League title race could be decided with a play-off https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/09/premier-league-play-off/ Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:42:36 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252669 Liverpool fans watched our lead at the top of the Premier League table be lost at Old Trafford but we are still very much in a race where one point separates three teams. Arsenal’s superior goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head records means that they have the upper hand but things are a lot more […]

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Liverpool fans watched our lead at the top of the Premier League table be lost at Old Trafford but we are still very much in a race where one point separates three teams.

Arsenal’s superior goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head records means that they have the upper hand but things are a lot more even between ourselves and Manchester City.

READ MORE: (Video) Lyrics to the new Diaz chant that’s growing in momentum among Liverpool fans

If we tie on goal difference with Pep Guardiola’s side, we are also currently level on goals scored, head-to-head and away goals in head-to-head games which would set up a play-off match.

Given the volume of fixtures at the end of the campaign and possible involvement in Europa League, FA Cup and Champions League finals – it would be interesting to know when we could see such an unlikely event take place.

You can view the full breakdown on how a Premier League play-off could take place via @SkySportsPL on X:

🚨 EOTK Insider with Jan Age Fjortoft: Why Alonso said no to LFC, who will replace Klopp now? The PL winners will be…

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(Video) Danny Murphy airs defiant Liverpool title race message despite Old Trafford setback https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/08/danny-murphy-liverpool-title-race/ Mon, 08 Apr 2024 11:11:19 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252602 Danny Murphy was philosophical about Liverpool’s standing in the Premier League title race after the 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. The Reds came into the weekend as leaders but ended it in second after Arsenal and Manchester City both won convincingly on Saturday, in contrast with Jurgen Klopp’s side failing to punish an […]

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Danny Murphy was philosophical about Liverpool’s standing in the Premier League title race after the 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Reds came into the weekend as leaders but ended it in second after Arsenal and Manchester City both won convincingly on Saturday, in contrast with Jurgen Klopp’s side failing to punish an inferior Manchester United outfit yesterday.

Despite that setback, though, we’re still level on points with the table-topping Gunners (who lead on goal difference) and one ahead of the reigning champions. With seven matches remaining, there’s ample time for further plot twists.

Speaking on Match of the Day 2, Murphy said of Liverpool’s draw at Old Trafford: “It felt like a defeat because of the dominance and the amount of chances that they had. They had enough chances to win a couple of games, really.

“Sometimes when you play in a big game, you can feel comfortable when you’ve only got a point if you’ve played OK. Because they’ve played so well, that’s why it feels so bad. They were in control of the game.

“The key now is how you respond. It is disappointing but they’re only second on goal difference. There’s still some bumps on the road maybe yet for Arsenal and City, and there’s loads of big games coming up. They’re still in a great position; just put it to bed [and focus on] the next game now.”

That’s a fair assessment from Murphy – yesterday was a case of two points dropped, but it’s certainly not fatal to our title hopes.

If Liverpool can be more ruthless in both penalty boxes, there’s still a Premier League crown there for the taking, and there’s no guarantee that the other two contenders won’t slip up themselves over the next six weeks.

The Reds simply need to take care of their own business and see where it leaves them in the final reckoning.

You can view Murphy’s comments below, via @BBCMOTD on X:

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Pep Guardiola makes tactical Liverpool assertion after Sunday’s title race twist https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/04/01/guardiola-liverpool-premier-league-favourites/ Mon, 01 Apr 2024 12:25:19 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252327 Pep Guardiola has made what seems to be a tactical assertion about Liverpool after the Reds moved top of the Premier League on Sunday. Our 2-1 win against Brighton, coupled with Manchester City and Arsenal finishing goalless, has put us two points ahead of the Gunners and three clear of the reigning champions with nine […]

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Pep Guardiola has made what seems to be a tactical assertion about Liverpool after the Reds moved top of the Premier League on Sunday.

Our 2-1 win against Brighton, coupled with Manchester City and Arsenal finishing goalless, has put us two points ahead of the Gunners and three clear of the reigning champions with nine matches each to play.

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When asked if LFC are now title favourites following his team’s draw yesterday, the Spaniard replied (via The Guardian): “Yes. Always who is first is ­favourites, second is Arsenal and we are third. 

“It’s not in our hands. All we can do is think of Aston Villa [on Wednesday]. If you are top of the league – like we’ve been before – you are favourites.”

READ MORE: Fabrizio Romano shares what he’s been ‘told’ about three potential candidates to replace Klopp

READ MORE: ‘Drives me crazy’ – ESPN pundit names one thing about Mo Salah which utterly torments him

Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool fans will read this as a classic mind games ploy from Guardiola, whose clear message to the Reds is that the pressure is on us not to blow our current advantageous position.

The title race is in LFC’s hands after yesterday’s twists, although we remain within arm’s reach of both Arsenal and City. Also, with a quarter of the campaign still to be played, there’s a lot of scope for the picture to change drastically.

At least we have the comfort of knowing that our rivals need us to slip up and that, so long as we take care of our business, we won’t be caught. It’s a welcome contrast to the 2019 and 2022 title pursuits, when Guardiola’s side continually kept us at bay as both teams just kept on winning.

City overtook the Gunners on the home straight last year, so they certainly won’t panic about being three points behind Liverpool this far out from the season’s end.

Nonetheless, they won’t be too thrilled at the prospect of trying to catch up on Klopp’s Reds, who’ve gone the distance with them in the pursuit of Premier League glory on more than one occasion.

Game on!

🚨 EOTK Insider with Jan Age Fjortoft: Why Alonso said no to LFC, who will replace Klopp now? The PL winners will be…

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Most Important Fixtures Remaining for Liverpool’s Title Race Contenders https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/03/31/liverpool-arsenal-man-city-premier-league-fixtures/ Sun, 31 Mar 2024 07:15:03 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252261 In Jurgen Klopp’s farewell season, Liverpool are right in the midst of one of the most compelling title races that the Premier League has seen in many years. It would certainly be fitting to see the 56-year-old win the title this spring and close out what has been a glorious era for the Reds with […]

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In Jurgen Klopp’s farewell season, Liverpool are right in the midst of one of the most compelling title races that the Premier League has seen in many years.

It would certainly be fitting to see the 56-year-old win the title this spring and close out what has been a glorious era for the Reds with a second top-flight crown. Given the narrative surrounding the club, optimism is high among LFC supporters heading into the final 10 fixtures of the campaign.

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Liverpool fans who are confident the Reds can win the Premier League title could consider placing a bet on it. With three bona fide contenders, the odds could be favorable. The key is giving consideration to multiple options and learning more about several betting sites to make sure you choose the right one.

Of course, in such a tight race, LFC aren’t exactly in control of their own destiny. We’ll likely need both Arsenal and Manchester City to drop points to win the Premier League title.

Therefore, the fixtures left on those teams’ schedules are just as important as Liverpool’s remaining matches. With that in mind, let’s take some time to explore how challenging the road to the title might be for the Reds’ two biggest rivals for domestic supremacy.

READ MORE: ‘No, they’re not…’ – Sky pundit shares firm Liverpool verdict for Premier League title race

Arsenal

Today’s match between Arsenal and Man City could be the best thing for Liverpool as one or both of those teams will drop points, giving the Reds an opening to seize first place. Of course, the Gunners have won all eight of their Premier League matches since the start of 2024, so we can’t count on them losing too many games late in the season.

That being said, Mikel Arteta’s side have some challenging fixtures left, especially away from home. In addition to today’s heavyweight showdown, Arsenal’s penultimate match is away at Manchester United. The Gunners will also play Brighton and Wolves away from home, as well as a crucial North London Derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 28. Spurs will surely be looking to play the role of spoiler at their neighbours’ expense, which could end up helping Liverpool.

Arsenal also have home matches late in the season against Aston Villa, Chelsea, and a tricky Bournemouth team. In an ironic twist, the Gunners finish their campaign at home to Liverpool’s Merseyside rivals Everton, who could play a role in potentially handing the Reds the title. That said, we shouldn’t be left reliant on Sean Dyche’s team taking points off Arteta and co.

Of Arsenal’s final 10 matches, six are against teams currently in the top 10 of the table. Five of those six matches are on their travels, too so the Gunners surely have a challenging list of away fixtures left to play. That’s in addition to a midweek London derby against Chelsea, another potential stumbling block for the current league leaders.

READ MORE: Table-topping manager set to rule himself out of the running for Liverpool – journalist

Manchester City

Since suffering a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in October, City have lost just one Premier League match. In fact, the Sky Blues have 10 wins and three draws in their last 13 league games, including the 1-1 draw at Liverpool shortly before the March international break. That should give Pep Guardiola’s squad plenty of confidence heading into today’s showdown against the Gunners.

Immediately after that match, the Cityzens play on Wednesday against an Aston Villa side fighting for a top four spot, before taking on Crystal Palace and Luton Town, both of which Guardiola’s side would fully expect to win. They then take a pause from Premier League action in mid-April for the FA Cup semi-finals.

Even after that clash against Chelsea, Man City’s schedule looks manageable. They are on the road against Brighton, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and Fulham, along with home matches against Wolves and West Ham United. The fixture at Spurs still needs to be rescheduled and could end up being one of City’s final matches of the season against a team who’ve had their number in recent years.

Just like Arsenal, six of City’s last 10 matches are against teams in the top 10 of the table right now. They both still have to face Aston Villa, Brighton, Luton, Tottenham and Wolves, so their schedules are remarkably similar. The difference is that City will have some of their more challenging matches at home.

What About Liverpool?

Sticking with the theme, the Reds also have to play six of their final 10 matches against teams in the top 10. That includes their last four games of the season against West Ham, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Wolves. A trip to Old Trafford on April 7 to face Manchester United also promises to be a difficult fixture.

On the bright side, the Reds still have manageable games against Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, and Fulham, as well as a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on April 24. Since they no longer have to worry about facing Man City or Arsenal again, one could argue that Liverpool have the most favorable remaining fixtures of the three title contenders.

That alone won’t guarantee a trophy for the Reds, but it does put them in a good position during the last 10 games of what should be a compelling title race.

📊EOTK Stats Pack: Liverpool v Brighton – Form guide, De Zerbi’s hex over Klopp and MORE

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‘No, they’re not…’ – Sky pundit shares firm Liverpool verdict for Premier League title race https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/03/31/micah-richards-liverpool-premier-league-title-verdict/ https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/03/31/micah-richards-liverpool-premier-league-title-verdict/#comments Sun, 31 Mar 2024 06:51:47 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252260 Micah Richards has dismissed Liverpool as genuine Premier League title contenders this season, believing it to be a two-horse race between Manchester City and Arsenal. That duo meet at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon, with the table-topping Gunners a point ahead of the home side, although the Reds have the chance to knock them off […]

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Micah Richards has dismissed Liverpool as genuine Premier League title contenders this season, believing it to be a two-horse race between Manchester City and Arsenal.

That duo meet at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon, with the table-topping Gunners a point ahead of the home side, although the Reds have the chance to knock them off the summit if they avoid defeat against Brighton earlier in the day.

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With the top three currently separated by just one point with 10 matches remaining, they can all realistically aspire to end the campaign as champions, although the Sky Sports pundit can’t see Jurgen Klopp signing off from Anfield with the top-flight trophy.

When asked on the Rest is Football Podcast if he feels Liverpool could win the title, Richards promptly replied: “No, they’re not going to win the league. I think it’s Man City or Arsenal. I think Man City will win the league, [but] it depends what happens on Sunday. If Arsenal go to the Etihad and win…”

READ MORE: Table-topping manager set to rule himself out of the running for Liverpool – journalist

READ MORE: How Liverpool can land Ruben Amorim for just £8.5m from Sporting Lisbon

At this juncture of the season, it’d be very foolish to write off Liverpool’s hopes of triumphing in the Premier League title race.

Only goal difference is keeping the Reds off the summit as of now, while they’ve suffered fewer defeats than either Arsenal or City and also shown a resilience which suggests that they have the stomach to give Klopp a glorious send-off in May.

From the numerous occasions that we’ve recovered from losing positions to emerge victorious, to coming up with dramatic late winners such as Darwin Nunez at Nottingham Forest earlier this month, there’s a defiance and determination about LFC which gives them every chance of dethroning Pep Guardiola’s side.

Liverpool still have several tricky hurdles to negotiate during the title run-in, starting with today’s clash against a Brighton side who haven’t lost at Anfield since 2019 and also taking in trips to Old Trafford, Goodison Park and Villa Park.

Right now, though, the Reds have to be taken seriously as contenders to win the Premier League. Given that we’ve so often been in the mix under Klopp, it seems peculiar that Richards is so emphatically writing us off, but we all know that the best response to that would be…!

📊EOTK Stats Pack: Liverpool v Brighton – Form guide, De Zerbi’s hex over Klopp and MORE

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(Video) Carragher predicts how many more points Liverpool will need to win the Premier League https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/03/28/carragher-premier-league-winning-points-prediction/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:26:39 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252187 Jamie Carragher has predicted the points tally that Liverpool will likely need to reach if they’re to win the Premier League title this season. With 10 matches remaining for all three contenders, the Reds are level with leaders Arsenal on 64 points, both one ahead of Manchester City. Speaking on the Fan Debate for Sky, the 46-year-old believes […]

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Jamie Carragher has predicted the points tally that Liverpool will likely need to reach if they’re to win the Premier League title this season.

With 10 matches remaining for all three contenders, the Reds are level with leaders Arsenal on 64 points, both one ahead of Manchester City.

Speaking on the Fan Debate for Sky, the 46-year-old believes that Jurgen Klopp’s side can only afford to drop four more points from the 30 available if they’re to end the campaign as champions.

Carragher said: “I think 90 points [are needed]. I was looking at the points on the international break and what you might need to do. I think 90 points. That would be Liverpool dropping four points from where they are. If Man City drop four points and Liverpool do the same, I think Liverpool are a point ahead of them.

“I actually think everyone is looking at Arsenal’s fixtures and thinking ‘I could see Arsenal dropping more than four points with the away games they have got’.”

With visits to Old Trafford, Goodison Park and Villa Park still to be negotiated, as well as a home clash against Tottenham, Liverpool will do exceptionally well to get maximum points from their 10 remaining fixtures.

However, we’ve seen from previous years that Man City leave zero room for error when it gets to this stage of the season, so Carragher’s prediction that the Reds will need at least 26 more points to lift the title seems about right.

The message that Klopp will be drilling into his players is that they can only claim three at a time and not to think too far ahead when there are still so many obstacles to overcome, starting with Brighton on Sunday.

You can view Carragher’s comments below (from 23:55), via The Overlap on YouTube:

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Liverpool fans may be despairing over news that’s been confirmed today for Brighton clash https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/03/26/coote-tierney-referee-var-liverpool-brighton/ https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/03/26/coote-tierney-referee-var-liverpool-brighton/#comments Tue, 26 Mar 2024 11:48:29 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252030 Liverpool fans may feel a sense of dread going into next Sunday’s clash against Brighton after news which was confirmed today. The Premier League has named the refereeing appointments for the upcoming weekend’s fixtures, with two names who’ll be on duty for our match potentially striking fear into Reds supporters. David Coote will be the […]

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Liverpool fans may feel a sense of dread going into next Sunday’s clash against Brighton after news which was confirmed today.

The Premier League has named the refereeing appointments for the upcoming weekend’s fixtures, with two names who’ll be on duty for our match potentially striking fear into Reds supporters.

David Coote will be the man in charge at Anfield, with Paul Tierney on VAR. The team of officials is completed by Tim Wood, Mark Scholes (assistant referees), Craig Pawson (fourth official) and Dan Cook (assistant VAR).

READ MORE: ‘They keep watching me’ – 22y/o loanee says he’s constantly ‘in contact’ with Liverpool

READ MORE: ‘Turn it on’ – Ex-Everton winger drops title race prediction as Liverpool battle Man City and Arsenal

Liverpool fans could be despairing at the sight of Coote taking charge of the Brighton game, with the 41-year-old involved in a couple of notorious VAR incidents in the past which went against the Reds.

It was he who failed to recommend a penalty for a clear handball in the penalty area by Martin Odegaard in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal just before Christmas, while he was stood down for a matchday in October 2020 after he oversaw the game at Goodison Park in which Jordan Pickford got off scot-free for inflicting a serious injury on Virgil van Dijk.

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As for Tierney, his rap sheet against LFC is extensive – failing to send off Harry Kane for a horror tackle on Andy Robertson (on the same day that Diogo Jota was denied a stonewall spot kick against Tottenham); only a a yellow card against Oliver Skipp for an over-the-top lunge on Luis Diaz last season; two fair goals disallowed in our win away to Burnley on Boxing Day.

He was also the man in the middle when Rodri got away with a blatant handball in Manchester City’s 1-0 win at Everton two years ago, a result which ultimately helped them to pip Liverpool to the Premier League title by a single point.

It’s fair to say that both Coote and Tierney have their history when it comes to the Reds. Let’s just hope they’re not the two men dominating the discussion after the match against Brighton next Sunday.

🚨 EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Michael Edwards and a multi-club model, Alonso’s Liverpool-esque moment and much more!

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‘Turn it on’ – Ex-Everton winger drops title race prediction as Liverpool battle Man City and Arsenal https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/03/26/townsend-premier-league-title-race-prediction/ Tue, 26 Mar 2024 10:08:53 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=252026 Easter Sunday marks the starting gun for the final 10-game sprint to the finish line in what’s been an enthralling Premier League title race. Arsenal and Liverpool are currently level on points at the top, with the Gunners leading the way on goal difference, while Manchester City lurk just a single point behind. Speaking on […]

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Easter Sunday marks the starting gun for the final 10-game sprint to the finish line in what’s been an enthralling Premier League title race.

Arsenal and Liverpool are currently level on points at the top, with the Gunners leading the way on goal difference, while Manchester City lurk just a single point behind.

Speaking on The Monday Night Club, Andros Townsend is backing Pep Guardiola’s side to make it a fourth successive title triumph due to their proven ability to string together double-digit sequences of victories.

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The former Everton winger said: “I feel like Man City are the only team in world football who can go and win their remaining 10 games and go on and win the league. I have that nagging feeling Man City will just go on and turn it on.

“[Kevin] De Bruyne is coming back into form, they have players coming back at the right time and they have been there and done it.”

READ MORE: Liverpool monitoring £65k-p/w destroyer who’s been likened to Milan and Italy legend 

READ MORE: ‘See his talent…’ – Ryan Babel backs Liverpool youngster to become ‘a great asset’ at Anfield

Some Liverpool fans may be rolling their eyes at an ex-Everton player tipping one of our rivals to pip us in the Premier League title race, but we still have every reason to be confident of going the distance this year.

The Reds have already battled through a scarcely believable injury crisis to remain level on points at the top, along with showing an outstanding mental fortitude to rescue so many wins from losing positions. There’s also the added motivation of giving Jurgen Klopp a second league triumph before he departs in the summer.

Sunday marks a glorious opportunity for us to steal a march on the other two contenders, who face each other at the Etihad Stadium a few hours after we host Brighton at Anfield, thus providing the opportunity to move ahead at the top before City and Arsenal do battle in Manchester.

Recent history very much favours Guardiola’s side, as Townsend referenced, but Liverpool could be an even stronger beast from April onwards with the likes of Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai already back from injury, and others such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, Ibrahima Konate and Alisson Becker set to return soon.

It’s going to be a nerve-racking seven weeks between Easter Sunday and 19 May, but after last season’s shocking drop-off, it’s great to have the Reds back in the title conversation this year as the run-in approaches.

🚨 EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Michael Edwards and a multi-club model, Alonso’s Liverpool-esque moment and much more!

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The 5 fixtures which could define Liverpool’s pursuit of the 2023/24 Premier League title https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/03/25/liverpool-key-fixtures-premier-league-title-race/ Mon, 25 Mar 2024 20:58:02 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=250781 We’re now approaching the final 10 gameweeks of the Premier League season, and only goal difference is keeping Liverpool off the top of the table behind Arsenal, with both clubs a single point ahead of Manchester City. Online casino and sports betting analysts from LeafletCasinos predict that the Reds have a big chance to win the […]

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We’re now approaching the final 10 gameweeks of the Premier League season, and only goal difference is keeping Liverpool off the top of the table behind Arsenal, with both clubs a single point ahead of Manchester City.

Online casino and sports betting analysts from LeafletCasinos predict that the Reds have a big chance to win the title, since it’s their last season with Jurgen Klopp and the players are extremely motivated.

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“I guess the final match of the season and the fight among Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal will be one of the most fascinating within the last 5 years,” maintains one of our sports experts.

Here are five matches which could make or break Liverpool’s title challenge in 2023/24:

Brighton (H), 31 March

Liverpool resume their Premier League campaign this coming Sunday with a home clash against Brighton, who are unbeaten in their last four meetings against the Reds.

Each of those has come under the stewardship of Roberto De Zerbi, who’s being touted as one of the leading contenders to replace Klopp at Anfield in the summer, thus providing a very intriguing subplot.

With Man City and Arsenal facing each other later that day, this match offers LFC an ideal opportunity to surge to the summit with a win and potentially take charge of the title race should the other contenders draw at the Etihad Stadium.

Man United (A), 7 April

Revenge will be on the minds of Klopp and Liverpool as they visit Old Trafford again, just three weeks on from their agonising FA Cup exit at the hands of their biggest rivals earlier this month.

The Reds will also have a score to settle with Erik ten Hag’s side from the goalless draw at Anfield just before Christmas, when the visitors somehow escaped with a 0-0 draw despite LFC taking 34 shots.

City have taken maximum points off their neighbours this term – we can’t afford to drop any more against the Red Devils. We owe them one!

READ MORE: Edwards and FSG exploring European takeover deal for club who already have some ties to Liverpool

Everton (A), 24 April

The Merseyside derby was originally scheduled for the weekend of 16/17 March, but FA Cup duty for the Reds means that the Goodison Park trip has now been deferred to late April.

It falls slap bang in the middle of two other away fixtures in the Premier League (Fulham and West Ham), with three trips for Klopp’s side in the space of 144 hours, just after they return from Italy for the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Atalanta.

Despite Everton’s brushes with relegation over the past couple of years, Liverpool have only won at the home of their local rivals once since the end of 2016.

Tottenham (H), 4 May

Spurs came to Anfield at the same juncture (matchday 36) two years ago and left with a 1-1 draw which ultimately proved very costly for Liverpool, who ended the season one point short of champions Man City.

Reds fans may be fearful of history repeating itself in early May, while there’ll also be a score to settle after the controversy from Luis Diaz’s wrongly disallowed goal in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

The last Merseyside meeting of these teams in April 2023 produced seven goals and a stoppage time Diogo Jota winner, so it’s a head-to-head which doesn’t lack for drama.

READ MORE: ‘Could be sold’ – Journalist claims Liverpool have made an offer for ‘ruthless’ £39m attacker

Aston Villa (A), 11 May

A week later, Liverpool could be involved in another game which may be pivotal not just in the title race, but also the hunt for Champions League football.

Villa have 10 wins out of 14 on their own patch in the top flight so far this season, so this promises to be one of the Reds’ toughest fixtures during the run-in.

There’s also a firm possibility that it’ll pit together two teams who’ve just come off the back of a European semi-final, with LFC  favourites to win the Europa League and Unai Emery’s side sure to fancy their chances in the Conference League.

🚨 EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Michael Edwards and a multi-club model, Alonso’s Liverpool-esque moment and much more!

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Merseyside derby date confirmed as Liverpool face hectic away triple header in title run-in https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/03/23/liverpool-premier-league-updated-fixtures-april/ Sat, 23 Mar 2024 10:52:58 +0000 https://www.empireofthekop.com/?p=251902 A new date has been set for the rescheduled Merseyside derby, and it leaves Liverpool facing a particularly hectic week during the Premier League title run-in. The Reds were due to have successive trips to London in late April, travelling to take on Fulham and West Ham respectively. Those visits to the capital have both been […]

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A new date has been set for the rescheduled Merseyside derby, and it leaves Liverpool facing a particularly hectic week during the Premier League title run-in.

The Reds were due to have successive trips to London in late April, travelling to take on Fulham and West Ham respectively. Those visits to the capital have both been moved for live TV coverage, with the derby at Goodison Park now being sandwiched in between.

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The updated fixture details were confirmed on Liverpool’s official website, with the rescheduled dates and times as follows:

⚪ Fulham (A): Sunday 21 April, 4.30pm
🔵 Everton (A): Wednesday 24 April, 8pm
🟣 West Ham (A): Saturday 27 April, 12.30pm

The latest of those three games could be moved to Sunday 28 April with a 2pm kick-off if Arsenal have a Champions League home fixture on Tuesday 30th.

READ MORE: ‘Really good relationship’ – Journalist drops encouraging update in Liverpool’s managerial search

READ MORE: 92% pass success: Liverpool maestro showed ‘enormous quality’ in his country’s win last night

If there are no further amendments to those fixtures, it leaves Liverpool with an especially difficult week to navigate as they vie for the Premier League title.

It’d be a challenging enough period even if all three of those games were at Anfield, but to be faced with an away triple header inside the space of 144 hours (which’ll see the Reds travel to London, then back to Merseyside, and down to the capital once more) will surely have Jurgen Klopp bristling.

The manager hasn’t minced his words about LFC facing short turnarounds between matches earlier in the season, and he’s not going to like having that thrust upon him again at such a crucial juncture of the campaign.

At least the Everton game being fixed for the earliest available date means that it’ll be out of the way once Liverpool get into May, when the pressure will be at its highest and the margin for error at its slimmest.

Manchester City still have another fixture to be pencilled in on top of their current schedule due to their ongoing FA Cup participation, and they could also face Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals if they both progress in their respective last eight ties.

If the Reds can come through that away triple header top of the table, or within reach of the summit, the prospect of Virgil van Dijk raising the Premier League trophy at Anfield on 19 May will become an increasingly plausible one.

EOTK Close-up with Gregory Vignal: LFC Legends with Eriksson, Klopp’s successor & more

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