Liverpool have been on an impressive sprint towards the finishing post, giving them an outside chance of Champions League qualification for next season. With a 3-0 victory away at Leicester, Liverpool have secured European football of some description in 2023/24. Jurgen Klopp admitted in his post-Leicester press conference that he “didn’t believe” a top-four finish was possible “six or seven weeks ago” but a seven-game winning streak has since put Newcastle and Man United firmly within his team’s sights. Liverpool can amass a total of 71 points should they win all of their remaining fixtures to end the season with nine successive wins. Aston Villa are up next this weekend in the Reds’ final home game of 2022/23 before a trip to Southampton to close out the campaign.
Man United and Newcastle are both sitting on 66 points, needing just two wins from their last three in order to put themselves out of Liverpool’s reach. Man United do also have a Manchester derby in the FA Cup final to concern themselves with following the conclusion of the Premier League season. Newcastle have taken just one point from their clashes with Arsenal and Leeds, leaving them in better mathematical shape than Man United with a goal difference of +32. The only likely scenario in which goal difference would come into effect would be if either Newcastle or Man United get one win and two draws from their remaining games and Liverpool take maximum points.
It might feel like a stretch, but praying for one of two sides to slip up gives Liverpool double the chance of having a solitary team standing in their way. Whatever happens in the final two games, it has been a marvellous run from the Reds to give them plenty of optimism with which to fly into next season.