After Liverpool's victory over Huddersfield this week the Reds find themselves in 6th place in the Premier League after the first 10 matches. However, the favorable upcoming schedule for Liverpool will provide an excellent opportunity to play themselves back into the Top 4. In addition, the fact that the other "Top 6" clubs face a tougher schedule means Liverpool should tighten the gap between themselves and the teams above them on the table.
Liverpool currently find themselves 3 points out of the Top 4 and behind both Arsenal and Chelsea (3 points). The Reds are 4 points behind 3rd-place Spurs, 7 behind Manchester United, and 12 points below league-leading City. However, these 5 clubs all have a more difficult upcoming schedule compared to Liverpool and the Reds should have an opportunity to gain ground on all of them.
Looking ahead to the next 8 matches, Liverpool should be able to make up ground. While half of these games will be played away from Anfield, only one of them will be against a team in the top 8 of the table. That game is at Anfield on November 25th against Chelsea. The other 7 upcoming games are against teams currently out of the top 8 in the league.
The favorable schedule begins this weekend when Liverpool travel on the road to face West Ham, a club currently 16th place out of 20. In addition, injury woes with a suspension will leave West Ham with potentially only 2 available CB's, one of which is a little used teenager. Before meeting Chelsea, Liverpool will play Southampton at Home the following week. Southampton is the only other club beside Chelsea even in the top 10 that Liverpool face in their next 8 matches. (Southampton is in 9th)
Following the Chelsea match, Liverpool have a pair of road games against Stoke City (14th) and Brighton (12th). They then face 3 of the bottom 5 teams in Everton (18th), West Brom (15th) and Bournemouth (19th) with only the Bournemouth match being away.
Clearly this is a favorable schedule that should see Liverpool coming away with the majority of the points. Not only that, but during this stretch Liverpool should see Sadio Mane return to action as well as Nathaniel Clyne and Adam Lallana who have both missed all of the games thus far.
In their next 8 games, Liverpool only face one club in the top 6. The teams above them have a more difficult schedule. For example, during this same stretch, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Chelsea all face 3 teams in the top 6. Arsenal face 4 while Manchester United have the toughest stretch and will battle 5 teams that are in the top 8. It will be very difficult to expect the clubs above Liverpool to come away from this 8-game stretch with as many points as Liverpool.
Currently Liverpool are on the outside looking in at the Top 4 but this may all change after this next stretch of games. The Reds are now only 4 points out of 3rd place and face a much easier schedule ahead compared to their Premier League rivals. The schedule and the return of key players should see Liverpool much higher on the table come mid-December. This will lead to an exciting winter Transfer Window and league play in the new year.
Up the Reds!!