Regardless of the result of Saturday night’s Merseyside derby, Liverpool fans need to get a grip on reality when it comes to what is achievable this season.
We’ve all heard that if the English Premier League season had kicked on December 26 the Reds would be top of the table, a position they enjoyed for parts of their impressive 2013-2014 campaign.
We know that they’re unbeaten in their last eight league matches, dating back to the 3-0 defeat to Manchester United on Dec. 14, and through to the last 16 of the FA Cup after a come from behind victory at Bolton on Tuesday night. And, yes, they're still in Europe, preparing for a Europa League tie over two legs against Besiktas.
But when you sit in seventh position on the table going into the weekend’s games with a brutal fixture list in prospect, it is too early to start patting yourselves on the back and making bold predictions.
After the game against Everton, Liverpool will face the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Manchester City in the next three weeks, with an FA Cup away trip to Crystal Palace plus the two Europa League games thrown in. Not long after that, Manchester United and Arsenal (away) loom on the horizon.
Yes, Liverpool are playing a lot better as their new recruits bed in. But who have they actually defeated since Boxing Day? Aston Villa, Sunderland, Swansea and Burnley aren’t exactly world-beaters.
Reds’ fans will rightly point out that they’ve regularly dropped points against the minnows in recent seasons and you can only beat what’s in front of you. But it is too soon to suggest that you're about to usurp Arsenal and Manchester United for spots in the top four.
Wednesday’s home match against Tottenham Hotspur will be one of the biggest games of the year as it is against a direct rival for one of the Champions League positions. Dropping points would be a serious setback.
With key striker Daniel Sturridge now back on deck, Liverpool should have no more problems scoring goals, just as they did 101 times last season in the league. His England partnership with Raheem Sterling will surely create many opportunities from now on.
But if they are to win the big matches against opposition from the top half of the table, they need to ensure defensive stability within Brendan Rodgers’ new 3-4-2-1 formation, which is now working so well. Playmaker Philippe Coutinho seems to have taken his form up a notch after signing a long-term contract.
Germany U21 midfielder Emre Can has adapted well to his new role as makeshift centre-back. But veteran defender Martin Skrtel has the tendency to make costly mistakes, like the challenge that conceded a penalty against Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup.
“Small things like that can make a big difference,” former Scotland and Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley said on the ESPN FC show. “Skrtel has got to stop diving in at the wrong time, in the wrong areas, or potentially he could cost them a place in the top four.”
Liverpool need to make sure that they just focus on the next game. And Brendan Rodgers, who celebrates 100 games in charge against Everton, has to tone down the big talk including waxing lyrical about leaving an Anfield legacy.
Saying that “anything is possible” and speaking of winning the FA Cup, along with a top four finish, perhaps wasn’t the best idea this week.
We saw what happened last season when Liverpool looked too far ahead and literally slipped up with a first ever Premier League title virtually within their grasp.
While the Reds are showing encouraging signs after a disappointing first half of the season, they are also only a couple of defeats away from another crisis. Rodgers should look to under-sell but over-deliver.
( Jason Dasey is Senior Editor of ESPN FC and the former host of SportsCenter India and Sportsline. Twitter: @JasonDasey )
