Liverpool fixtures: Premier League title race run in schedule as Reds battle with Man City

Jurgen Klopp’s side are neck-a-neck with Manchester City in one of the tightest league campaigns in history

Liverpool and Manchester City are embroiled in one of the closest Premier League title races in recent history.

City, led by Pep Guardiola, are the reigning champions after running away with a dominant league win last season but have met strong resistance from the Merseyside club in their attempts to retain their title.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have been bolstered this season by perhaps the league’s standout performer so far Virgil van Dijk and new addition Allisson in goal alongside their deadly front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

The two rivals don’t face each other again in the league so the title will be decided by their performances against the rest of the division.

The title run-in will be crucial and The Independent have assessed every remaining league fixture for Liverpool.

Match 26: Bournemouth (H) – Saturday February 9, 3pm

Liverpool host Bournemouth having beaten them with an aggregate score of 7-0 in their last two meetings. This should be a relatively straight forward fixture but don’t discount the visitors after they thumped Chelsea 4-0, even without Callum Wilson.

Match 27: Manchester United (A) – Sunday February 24, 2.05pm – Live on Sky Sports

Possibly the biggest game in Liverpool’s run-in and the start of a huge run which also sees them face Everton and Tottenham. United will be a formidable hurdle.

Match 28: Watford (H) – Wednesday February 27, 8pm

Having scored eight goals in their last two meetings Liverpool will be confident of securing another crucial home win, albeit against a potential banana skin.

Match 29: Everton (A) – Sunday March 3, 4.15pm – Live on Sky Sports

Merseyside derbies are always hugely significant and this will be even more so the case this time around. Everton, despite a poor recent run against their rivals, will be potential spoilers for the visitors.

Match 30: Burnley (H) – Sunday March 10, 12pm – Live on BT Sport

Burnley at home represents a relatively easy fixture for Liverpool that they will be hoping to win comfortably but, as Man United discovered earlier this season when they had to come back from behind to draw 2-2, they can be a tough nut to crack.

Match 31: Fulham (A) – Sunday March 17, 2.15pm – Live on Sky Sports

Liverpool will travel to Craven Cottage looking to maintain an unbeaten run against Fulham stretching back to December 2011 in what should be a comfortable game for the Reds.

Match 32: Tottenham (H) – Sunday March 31, 4.30pm – Live on Sky Sports

Tottenham’s visit to Anfield will prove another real hurdle for Liverpool to overcome despite the Merseyside team having only suffered one defeat to Spurs since 2012.

Match 33: Southampton (A) – Saturday April 6, 3pm

Entering April, the business end of the run-in now begins with a tricky away fixture against a resurgent Southampton side that could cause them problems under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Match 34: Chelsea (H) – Saturday April 13, 3pm

Chelsea. In a title run-in. That will be sure to bring back some bad memories and make for a nervy game at Anfield with Chelsea unbeaten in their last five meetings in all competitions.

Match 35: Cardiff (A) – Saturday April 20, 3pm

Four games left and, on paper, an easier final four games than rivals City and a game which could be full of goals with 14 scored in their last two league meetings.

Match 36: Huddersfield (H) – Saturday April 27, 3pm

Huddersfield at home should cause relatively few jitters and Liverpool haven’t lost to Huddersfield since 1959, but we all know better than that, right?

Match 37: Newcastle (A) – Saturday May 4, 3pm

In their penultimate game, St James’ Park is the destination and Liverpool will have to factor into the equation a typically fiery partisan crowd which could impart nerves on the Merseyside team.

Match 38: Wolves (H) – Sunday May 12, 3pm

In front of their home crowd on the final day of the season, Liverpool will be aiming to end on a high against a strong Wolves side who defeated them in their last meeting, in the FA Cup earlier this season.