Perennial Premier League champions Manchester City lived up to their tag as ‘midweek specialists’ with a hard-fought 1-0 home triumph against Brentford on Tuesday.
Inspired by Erling Braut Haaland’s second-half winner, Pep Guardiola’s side extended their incredible unbeaten run in midweek top-flight fixtures to 48 matches.
More importantly, the Cityzens whittled down the gap on pacesetters Liverpool to a single point, although the Reds can re-establish a four-point cushion on Wednesday.
Jurgen Klopp’s high-flyers take on relegation-threatened Luton Town at Anfield in a buoyant mood despite only recently succumbing to a dismal 3-1 loss to fellow title rivals Arsenal.
The Merseyside heavyweights have since defeated Burnley and Brentford 3-1 and 4-1, respectively, to reinforce their hopes of lifting the Premier League crown for only the second time.
With 14 games left and only two points separating the leading trio, one of the most enthralling title run-ins in recent Premier League history could be in store.
Fixtures are coming thick and fast, and it’s time to examine the most challenging tasks awaiting the three Premier League title contenders.
Liverpool
Klopp’s decision to cut short his long-term stint at Anfield has caught the Merseyside faithful by surprise, but his imminent departure could be a catalyst to drive Liverpool forward down the final stretch.
However, the road is still long, not to mention bumpy, with numerous demanding challenges lying ahead of the Reds.
Liverpool’s second Premier League outing in March could determine this fiercely contested title race as they entertain Man City on home turf in a top-table six-pointer.
They will play a resurgent Manchester United side at Old Trafford in April in another potential ‘banana skin’ contest before welcoming top-four hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur in May.
The last month of the 2023/24 season is tricky, with Liverpool facing Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Spurs.
While taking points at Anfield has become a mere formality, Liverpool must find a recipe to perform equally well on the road to increase the likelihood of dethroning Man City come May.
Manchester City
Seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title, Man City recovered quickly from a 1-1 home draw against Chelsea to keep breathing down the Reds’ necks.
But unlike Liverpool, the Cityzens’ schedule for the remainder of the season looks pretty straightforward, though several potential traps could still spoil Guardiola’s lofty ambitions.
In addition to the abovementioned clash against Klopp’s charges, they’ll play Brighton & Hove Albion in a dress rehearsal for a high-stakes encounter at the Etihad Stadium against Arsenal in late March.
From then, it should be plain sailing for last season’s treble winners. But as they remain in contention for Champions League glory, distractions could derail City’s intention to make history this season.
That’s until they meet Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham side in late April, seeking revenge for conceding a late equaliser in a 3-3 draw in the reverse fixture.
Arsenal
While Arsenal’s mammoth effort to stay competitive in the title race ought to inspire confidence ahead of the crunch time, they’re perhaps in the worst position of all three title candidates.
Starting with next weekend’s clash against Newcastle United, the Gunners stare down the barrel of an ominous-looking schedule featuring several high-profile matches.
These include a London derby against Chelsea, an awkward trip to Man City, a bumper clash with Tottenham and a daunting trip to Old Trafford to play Man Utd.
It’s also worth noting they’ll clash against top-four challengers Aston Villa in mid-April, highlighting the difficulty of the challenges waiting in the wings.
However, Arteta’s side have hit the ground running following a relatively sluggish start to 2024, winning their last five league games by an aggregate score of 21-2.