Arne Slot takes huge stride towards £100m mega boost

We need to accept that Liverpool are not in the running to retain their Premier League title.

It looks like Arsenal will contest the title with Manchester City - with the Reds very much stuck in the fight for Champions League football.

It’s been a difficult season for Arne Slot - who has been unable to get any kind of consistency out of the league champions. The head coach has also struggled to integrate £450m worth of new signings - and he has been dealing with significant injury troubles.

Poor results have left the Anfield side fighting it out with Chelsea and Manchester United for a Champions League place - with Aston Villa even further ahead in the table.

It’s overwhelmingly likely that fifth place will be enough to secure a return to the Champions League due to England's coefficient - bringing with it potentially over £100m of participation fees, prize money and broadcast revenues.

It’s money that Liverpool cannot afford to live without - but there is every reason to believe that the club are about to take a decisive step towards securing it.

Expect Liverpool to ease ahead

This midweek round of fixtures saw rivals Man Utd and Chelsea slip up - encountering draws against West Ham and Leeds respectively.

As a consequence the Reds have been able to claw back two more points in the race to gain a top-five finish courtesy of their 1-0 win up in Sunderland.

Around the corner is a very winnable run of fixtures - and Arne Slot needs to be aiming to win 15 points out of the next 15.

First of all across their next three league fixtures Liverpool will play three of the current bottom four. Crisis club Nottingham Forest are in 17th - and beyond the Tricky Trees away Liverpool will play West Ham (18) at home and Wolves (20) away.

After that there are more bottom-dwellers in the shape of Tottenham (16) at home and Brighton (14) away.

Following the Brighton game we will encounter the international window - with Liverpool facing Fulham (h), Everton (a) and Crystal Palace (h) in their subsequent three fixtures.

Man Utd and Chelsea to face difficulty

Man Utd by contrast in their next five matches face only Crystal Palace who are currently in the bottom half of the table.

Before March is out they will play Everton (a), Palace (h), Newcastle (a), Aston Villa (h) and Bournemouth (a) - games they will not be looking forward to.

Although Chelsea have got a gentle-looking game against Burnley coming up next at home after that they play two of the top three in succession - facing both Arsenal and Aston Villa away from home.

Time for optimism

Before the international break they will play Newcastle at home and Everton away - by no means easy fixtures. Right after the break they will face Man City and Man Utd at home - meaning they are due to play every one of the top four in their next seven fixtures.

Right now Liverpool fans are not so optimistic about making it back into the Champions League - particularly as they have to play Man Utd, Chelsea, Villa and Brentford in the run-in.

But there is every reason to believe that by the March international window the table will look very different - and Liverpool will have some breathing space in the chase for the rich prizes on offer in the Champions League.

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