Liverpool might have indeed preferred Manchester City and Arsenal to progress to the Champions League semi-finals. Nonetheless, there remains hope for the Reds in the title race.
Who could have predicted that Aston Villa would emerge as the sole English team left in European competitions this season? Liverpool may still hold out hope that this won’t be the case, but the likelihood seems strong now.
Arsenal’s dreams of a potential Champions League and Premier League double this season were dashed with a 1-0 loss at the Allianz Arena. Joshua Kimmich’s goal sealed Bayern Munich’s advancement after a 2-2 draw in London.
Shortly after, Manchester City also exited the competition. The defending champions were eliminated in a penalty shootout against Real Madrid, signaling the end of their title defense.
Liverpool faces the daunting task of overturning a 3-0 deficit against Atalanta in the Europa League tomorrow, while West Ham trails 2-0 against Bayer Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso. Both Premier League teams could exit Europe, leaving Aston Villa, currently leading 2-1 against Lille in the Conference League, as the sole representative.
Liverpool fans, despite being in a title race with Manchester City and Arsenal, may have hoped for their rivals’ progress in Europe, as Jamie Carragher suggested on The Gary Neville Podcast. Carragher emphasized the advantage for Liverpool if both City and Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-final, but with their elimination, Liverpool may face stiffer competition.
With City meeting Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals, all three contenders could focus solely on the Premier League run-in. However, Liverpool might not favor this scenario, as it could mean City and Arsenal without any distractions in the title race.
Yet, Wednesday’s events underscore why Liverpool shouldn’t lose hope in their pursuit of the league title. Arsenal’s vulnerability after a 2-0 loss to Villa and their tough remaining fixtures put pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side. Despite City’s lead and expectations to win, their encounter with Real Madrid revealed potential stumbling blocks to securing another title.
Despite Pep Guardiola’s formidable team, it doesn’t quite match the near-flawless unit from past seasons, particularly during intense clashes with Liverpool. This current side has weaknesses, as evidenced by Liverpool’s display at Anfield recently.
While teams like Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Fulham, and West Ham might not pose significant challenges, a trip to Brighton could present difficulties. Additionally, facing Tottenham in north London seems the most likely scenario for dropping points.
It’s not the scenario Liverpool fans had hoped for, but there are still plenty of reasons for optimism.