The theory was that Liverpool’s season would reach a crisis point in January when the Africa Cup of Nations deprived the club of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Naby Keïta. But Liverpool has not lost since the Cup of Nations began and, with its African stars returning, it has emerged over the past couple of months as the only side with a chance of disrupting Manchester City’s march to a fourth Premier League title in five years.
It may turn out that the crucial period of this season was actually late December when, with City reeling off win after win, Liverpool drew at Tottenham and Chelsea and lost at Leicester, a result that looks even more bizarre in hindsight than it felt at the time. That clutch of fixtures around Christmas, advantaging clubs with the biggest squads, can often prove crucial, and it may be it was even more so this season with all the disruption caused by the coronavirus omicron variant.
The result is that as Liverpool faces Leicester again Thursday, the gap to reach Man City is 12 points. That's a bit misleading, though, with City having played two more matches. And if Liverpool beats Leicester, then wins its other game in hand and beats City in their meeting at the Etihad on April 9, then the gap could be reduced to three and, just maybe, there could be a title race again.
