Liverpool face a tense end to February with two massive Premier League fixtures in quick succession—an away clash against Manchester City, followed by a home game against Newcastle United.
Despite City’s struggles this season, Liverpool have also shown signs of vulnerability. Their recent 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, while a spirited comeback, raised concerns about a potential dip in form at a crucial time.
One key issue is the heavy reliance on Ryan Gravenberch, who has started every league match this season. His underwhelming display against Villa suggests fatigue may be setting in, yet he remains the club’s best defensive midfield option, with Wataru Endo still on the bench. Questions also linger over Liverpool’s decision not to strengthen the squad, particularly in defensive midfield.
Andrew Robertson’s inconsistent performances have drawn criticism, while Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez have struggled for form. Díaz, once a bright spark, has lost his place to Cody Gakpo and failed to make an impact as a makeshift striker. Núñez, meanwhile, has been frustrated by limited game time, with his standout display still the 2-0 win over Brentford in January.
Defensively, Liverpool have failed to keep a clean sheet since their 4-0 Carabao Cup semi-final win over Spurs, an issue Arne Slot must address before facing City’s dangerous attack. Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and new signing Omar Marmoush, dubbed the “New Pharaoh,” pose a major threat. Marmoush, who arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt after a stellar season in Germany, has hit the ground running with a hat-trick against Newcastle.
On the other side, Mohamed Salah continues to break records. The Egyptian leads the league with 24 goals and 15 assists, recently surpassing Luis Suárez’s single-season away goal tally for Liverpool. He now sits sixth in the Premier League all-time scoring charts, just three goals shy of Sergio Agüero.
With the title race hanging in the balance, a win for Liverpool would strengthen their lead over Arsenal. However, a defeat could hand the Gunners fresh belief in their pursuit.
