Liverpool took another step closer to winning the Premier League title last weekend as it added two points to its lead over Arsenal.
The Reds didn’t have it all their own way against bottom-place Southampton on Saturday with Liverpool trailing at halftime. Both Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold said Arne Slot’s halftime message was the angriest they have ever seen the manager, but it did the trick, with three second-half goals ensuring Liverpool took another step towards clinching the trophy.
That opened up a 16-point gap at the league summit, and despite Slot’s warnings that Arsenal could reduce that to seven by the next time Liverpool plays in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side slipped up at the first hurdle.
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Manchester United earned a point in what was a dull affair at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes netting a free-kick and Declan Rice grabbing an equalizer for Arsenal in the second period. As a result, that gap now stands at 15 points and Liverpool only mathematically needs 16 more points to be crowned champions.
In reality, that tally is likely to be lower given Arsenal has failed to win any of its last three league matches.
When is the earliest Liverpool could win the title?
A quirk of the fixture schedule means Arsenal plays three league matches in a row in between Liverpool’s win over Southampton and the next league outing on 2 April. The Gunners drew the first of those games against United and then host Chelsea the following week when Liverpool is in Carabao Cup final action.
A two-week international break follows before the FA Cup quarter-finals, which neither of the title challengers is involved in. The Premier League then picks up with a midweek round of games at the start of April with Arsenal playing Fulham at the Emirates, 24 hours before Everton travels to Anfield for the second Merseyside derby of the season.
Should Liverpool beat David Moyes’ side and Arsenal lose the next three matches, it would mean the maximum points total the Gunners could get is 76 points, while the leaders would have amassed 73.
So the earliest Liverpool can claim the title is the following round of game when it travels to Fulham on 6 April, a day after Arsenal heads to Goodison Park for the final time. Therefore, it is possible - although highly unlikely - Everton could hand its rivals the title.
Liverpool’s next five Premier League fixtures
Everton (H) - 2 April , Fulham (A) - 6 April , West Ham (H) - 13 April , Leicester (A) - 20 April , Tottenham (H) - 27 April .
Arsenal’s next five Premier League fixtures
Chelsea (H) - 16 March , Fulham (H) - 1 April , Everton (A) - 5 April , Brentford (H) - 12 April , Ipswich (A) - 20 April .
