Premier League hand Arsenal advantage as Liverpool request instantly denied
Liverpool may have had a strong season, but things came crashing down ahead of the international break.
Arne Slot’s side were knocked out of the Champions League on penalties against Paris Saint-Germain, before losing the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United.
Although the Reds still sit 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League table, the Merseyside outfit will want to ensure they pick themselves back up rather than face a nervy end to the season.
Premier League serve Liverpool blow
Another 16 points would win Liverpool the Premier League title, and given they have lost just one league game throughout the season so far, the odds are certainly in their favour.
However, the week they faced ahead of the international break is the first real pressure that Slot has come under during his time at Liverpool so far, so it will be interesting to see how they react.
What’s more, it seems as though contract negotiations are getting closer to bubbling over, with Virgil van Dijk making no secret of his frustration at a lack of movement on his future.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah also see their deals at Anfield expiring at the end of the current campaign, with everything up in the air at Anfield.
Therefore, the latest decision made by the Premier League will not be what the Reds wanted to hear.
Mike Keegan has reported that despite Liverpool and Everton requesting the upcoming Merseyside derby be moved from Wednesday (2 April) to Tuesday (1 April), the league have denied it.
This means that Arsenal have an extra day of rest as they play Fulham on the previous Tuesday before taking on Everton on Saturday (5 April) in an early kick-off.
Slot to put Liverpool worries to rest
Having suffered two massive blows of late, this is uncharted territory for Liverpool this season and brings concerns to the surface.
There have been accusations throughout the campaign that Liverpool are dominating because of Arsenal’s bad luck rather than their own quality on the pitch.
Troy Deeney has even gone as far as to say that Salah is not a world-class player, despite the incredibly impressive numbers he has racked up in the Premier League this season.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 29 | 27 | 17 |
However, the panic doesn’t need to set in just yet, as there is a reason they have lost just one league game this season, and that certainly isn’t down to the form of any other side.
When the Toffees take on Arsenal, it will be a rare occasion where everyone in Merseyside is hoping for the same result in a game.
Arsenal may have been handed an advantage by the Premier League, but they very rarely take that, with Liverpool needing to take care of their own business.