Liverpool Face Season-Defining October

When it rains, it pours. | Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

The next six games could be instrumental in the rest of Liverpool’s season.

Liverpool currently sit five points clear at the top of the Premier League table after seven games of the new season. However, things have the potential to change quickly in the month ahead when the Reds take on two teams that will likely join them in the top six this season. They’ll also be playing Manchester United.

This Saturday, they’ll welcome an in-form Leicester City, headed by former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, to Anfield. After that, it’s over to Old Trafford to face Manchester United before rounding off October’s Premier League games at home against Tottenham.

Manchester City, meanwhile, have the comparatively easy run of Wolves at home, Crystal Palace away and Aston Villa at home. They’ll still have to earn the points, and no one enjoys playing at Selhurst Park, but on paper that looks like a much gentler trio of games.

If things don’t go as planned for Liverpool, they could find their five point cushion ahead of Manchester City significantly reduced. On the other hand, the nine points on offer this month could see Liverpool hit a perfect 30 points after only 10 games.

That would be quite the feat though. In fact, no team in the Premier League has won their first 10 league games in a season. Chelsea came closest, bagging nine straight in 2005-06. In terms of overall wins, Liverpool have come out victorious in their last 16 league games in a row, stretching back to March of last season. Two more would match Manchester City’s run of 18 in 2017. If Liverpool win all three of their next games, then they’ll be the new record holders with 19 straight victories. So it’s possible that Liverpool could end October by making Premier League history.

In addition to the potentially hugely consequential league matches they’ll play, they will also have two more Champions League fixtures to contend with. Having lost their first game against Napoli away, winning these next two versus RB Salzburg and Racing Genk has become even more important.

And finally, the youngsters will get another run out to round out October in the League Cup against Arsenal. While domestic cups haven’t seemed to be a priority for Klopp for the past few seasons, a good run does a lot to give the extended team some playing time and earn the young players more first team experience. Liverpool always seem to get stuck with a difficult opponent in an early round, and this season is no different. Unai Emery likely won’t be putting this match at the top of his list either, but neither manager will be pleased to have to face the other so soon.

Here’s Liverpool’s schedule for October:

Wednesday, October 2nd - Salzburg at home (Champions League)
Saturday, October 5th - Leicester City at home (Premier League)
Sunday, October 20th - Manchester United away (Premier League)
Wednesday, October 23rd - Racing Genk away (Champions League)
Sunday, October 27th - Tottenham Hotspur at home (Premier League)
Tuesday, October 29th - Arsenal at home (League Cup)

How do you think Liverpool will fare in the six games that await them this month? Sound off in the comments.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com