"Qualification for the Champions League round-of-16 in midweek means Slot's side have a run of six-straight domestic matches -- with only one midweek fixture -- until European competition resumes in the second week of March. In that period they have matches against Newcastle, Manchester City, Sunderland, Brighton & Hove Albion, Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers as they look to re-establish an advantage over Manchester United, two points ahead in fourth, and Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification."
"We are now in a position where we cannot afford a mistake any more because we have made too many, giving away goals in the last minute that don't do any justice to the performance in terms of the score. Every single game is crucial, but the way we have positioned ourselves now makes probably every game even more crucial because that is definitely what we want to achieve."
There is little margin for error as the race for a top-four place reaches a pivotal phase. Champions League round-of-16 qualification creates a run of six straight domestic matches with only one midweek fixture until European competition resumes in March. That run includes Newcastle, Manchester City, Sunderland, Brighton & Hove Albion, Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Liverpool sit two points behind Manchester United in fourth and remain in contention with Chelsea for Champions League qualification. Recent league form shows five wins from 18 games, so late goals and mistakes are unaffordable. Ibrahima Konaté has returned from compassionate leave, Curtis Jones is returning from illness, and Jeremie Frimpong is sidelined for a few weeks with a groin injury.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]