There was an expectation that Liverpool would only have to show up to topple their arch-rivals on Sunday afternoon, and perhaps Manchester United’s sharp improvement caught them off guard.
The Red Devils were more than competitive at Anfield and more than deserving of their point. Liverpool, as a result, were unable to capitalize Arsenal draw at Brighton on Saturday Their lead at the summit is six points after having played a game less, a margin narrow enough to suggest there is still a run to go and plenty of season left.
Below we explain how they will occur Premier League matches are compared to those of Arsenal.
Liverpool have a Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham and an FA Cup tie with Accrington Stanley to consider before they are next in Premier League action.
Slot’s side have had a succession of tough away days against teams that have punched above their weight so far this season. A weekday trip to Nottingham Forest under the lights at the City Ground may be one of the toughest fixtures left on their domestic calendar. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are third in the table after ending 2024 with five consecutive wins.
They are also the only team to beat Liverpool in the Premier League this season.
A visit to Gtech in west London comes four days later, with Brentford flourishing as one of the top performing local teams in the division. However, Thomas Frank’s side have lost their previous two games at home to Forest and Arsenal.
The league leaders will be expected to enjoy some comfort when they face the relegation-threatened duo Ipswich i Wolves at Anfield amid an adventure down south Bournemouth on February 1 The Cherries have already beaten Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham at home this season.
|
Start date and time (GMT) |
fixation |
|---|---|
|
01/14/25 – 8:00 p.m |
Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool |
|
18/01/25 – 14:00 |
Brentford vs Liverpool |
|
25/01/25 – 15:00 |
Liverpool vs Ipswich |
|
02/01/25 – 15:00 |
Bournemouth vs Liverpool |
|
02/16/25 – 2:00 p.m |
Liverpool vs Wolves |
arsenalA long time ago the margin for error is small, and they may be out of the search for titles if Liverpool achieve victories in testing environments in the coming weeks.
The Gunners are 13 games unbeaten after drawing at Brighton, but a long winning run is required to close the gap.
They also have a Carabao Cup semi-final to think about, and Mikel Arteta would be wise to prioritize those two games with Newcastle. The FA Cup third round draw against Man Utd isn’t exactly an advantage either despite the Red Devils’ problems.
Arteta’s side have been considerably weakened by Bukayo Saka’s hamstring tear, and supporters will want to have a couple of attacking reinforcements in the door by the end of the month. Before that, however, host Arsenal Tottenham in the North London Derby having won 1-0 in N17.
An Aston Villa team with a couple of key injuries then visit the Emirates three days later. The Villans won 2-0 in north London last season to make Arsenal’s title challenge difficult.
Arteta’s side also take a potential resurgence Manchester City team at the start of February after securing a rare win over Pep Guardiola’s side in October 2023. As a result of their horrific slump at the end of 2024, City are competing for a top four place in place of a fifth consecutive title.
Importantly, the toughest of Arsenal’s upcoming games is at home. They will not travel to the Premier League again until January 25, when they join Wolves. After hosting City, the Gunners travel to Leicester at the beginning of Saturday in the early hours.
|
Start date and time (GMT) |
fixation |
|---|---|
|
15/01/25 – 20:00 |
Arsenal vs Tottenham |
|
18/01/25 – 17:30 |
Arsenal vs Aston Villa |
|
25/01/25 – 15:00 |
Wolves vs Arsenal |
|
02/02/25 – 16:30 |
Arsenal vs Man City |
|
02/15/25 – 12:30 p.m |
Leicester vs Arsenal |
