Liverpool set sights on West Ham reset to bolster Premier League title charge

Liverpool will be eager to recover from a surprising setback as the dominant leaders of the Premier League prepare to take on West Ham this Sunday.

At the same time, Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa find themselves in a fierce contest for Champions League qualification.

AFP Sport explores three key discussion points in anticipation of the action this weekend:

Liverpool Reject Complacency Claims

After having eliminated most of the excitement from the title race weeks ago, Liverpool faced a rare defeat against Fulham last weekend, leading to suggestions that the leaders might be growing complacent.

Arne Slot’s squad saw their impressive 26-match unbeaten streak in the league come to an end with a chaotic 3-2 loss at Craven Cottage, a match that bore little resemblance to the formidable team that has been relentlessly pursuing their first title since 2020.

However, despite this second league defeat of the season, Liverpool maintains an 11-point advantage over second-placed Arsenal with just seven matches remaining.

It would require an extraordinary slump for the Reds not to secure a record-equalling 20th English title, and Slot is confident that his players remain highly focused on accomplishing the task at hand promptly.

“I don’t see any reason for us to be complacent,” Slot remarked in anticipation of West Ham’s trip to Anfield.

“Everyone who has watched our matches knows how much effort and hard work it takes to win.

“The teams that have won the league over the past four seasons were nearly always 3-0 up at half-time. That’s not where we are at.”

Race for the Top Five Intensifies

With five spots available for English clubs in the next season’s Champions League, the battle for these lucrative positions is set to be highly competitive.

Third-placed Nottingham Forest, who will face Everton on Saturday, are aiming to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since the 1980/81 season and currently hold a five-point cushion over sixth-placed Manchester City.

Chelsea, sitting in fourth, has a slight edge over fifth-placed Newcastle, separated only by goal difference; the League Cup winners also hold a game in hand that could be critical.

This weekend, Chelsea will take on struggling Ipswich, while Newcastle will host Manchester United, and seventh-placed Aston Villa – just two points outside the top five – will face relegated Southampton.

City, who will welcome Crystal Palace on Saturday, trail Chelsea and Newcastle by a single point and have the most at stake as they attempt to recover a disappointing season by securing Champions League qualification.

Pep Guardiola’s side, who’ve clinched the Premier League title six times in the past seven years, last missed out on Champions League football in 2010/11.

Leicester at a Critical Juncture

Leicester’s disappointing season seems set to end in relegation, with a loss against Brighton on Saturday potentially sealing their fate after just one season back in the top flight.

Having been defeated 3-0 by Newcastle on Monday, the Foxes are unfortunately the first team across England’s top four divisions to experience eight straight home league losses without finding the back of the net.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side has not scored at the King Power Stadium since December 8 against Brighton, and they’ve gone seven league games without a goal, home or away.

Van Nistelrooy has become only the second manager in Premier League history to record eight consecutive home losses after Daniel Farke with Norwich in 2021.

Stuck in a dreadful stretch of nine consecutive losses across all competitions, Leicester could find themselves 18 points adrift of safety with only six games remaining if they lose at Brighton and fourth-bottom Wolves triumph over Tottenham on Sunday.

Van Nistelrooy is at a loss regarding Leicester’s situation, commenting: “We’re trying different approaches, different formations, and fielding different players in various positions, yet the results haven’t improved. That is quite concerning.”