Premier League: Where can Liverpool close gap to Manchester City in title race?

It certainly wasn't the performance of a team that has given up on winning the Premier League title.

Liverpool dominated a potentially tricky encounter with Leicester City on Thursday night and could easily have won by more than Diogo Jota's two strikes.

With Mohamed Salah already back and in action following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations and Sadio Mane to follow, Liverpool's attack is back up to full strength.

Jota and others have stepped up to compensate for their absence in recent games and January arrival Luis Diaz already looks the part. The clean sheet was equally as welcome.

That win means Jurgen Klopp's team trail leaders Manchester City by nine points ahead of the weekend but they do retain a game in hand that could trim that to six.

The two sides are due to meet at the Etihad Stadium on the weekend of April 9/10 and Liverpool supporters - as well as a good few neutrals - will sincerely hope some kind of title race will be back on by then.

But what are the prospects of that happening? We take a closer look at the games coming up for both sides and where points could be won and lost.

THIS WEEKEND

Saturday - Norwich City vs MANCHESTER CITY; Sunday - Burnley vs LIVERPOOL

You'd expect both title contenders to pick up maximum points this weekend as they head to sides towards the bottom of the table.

Though Norwich have shown serious improvement under Dean Smith, it'd be hugely surprising if they take anything from a City side unbeaten in their last 14 league games, of which 13 have been won.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have an excellent record against Burnley, who are currently rock bottom. The Clarets have won just two of 15 Premier League meetings and Liverpool have won six of seven encounters at Turf Moor.

Sean Dyche's team may well have held Manchester United in midweek but Liverpool's attack will surely prove irresistible.

FEBRUARY 19/20

Saturday - LIVERPOOL vs Norwich City, MANCHESTER CITY vs Tottenham Hotspur

A week later and it's Liverpool's turn to take on Norwich. You really can't see them slipping up and it's the ideal fixture to come after their midweek trip to Milan to face Serie A leaders Inter in the Champions League.

City, meanwhile, have a much tougher fixture against top four-chasing Tottenham. However, they will be at home and it really is difficult to know which Spurs will turn up at the moment.

But if Antonio Conte's side can frustrate their hosts and come away with a point, that gap will be down to seven points.

FEBRUARY 23

LIVERPOOL vs Leeds United

This is Liverpool's game in hand with the home meeting with Leeds postponed on Boxing Day due to a Covid outbreak.

It's a game they should win and it's an opportunity to just ramp up the pressure on City a little more. Liverpool will hope they can move to within four points of the leaders but more likely it'll just be six.

FEBRUARY 26/27

Saturday - Everton vs MANCHESTER CITY; Sunday - LIVERPOOL vs Chelsea (Carabao Cup final)

Liverpool take a break from league action on this weekend as they head to Wembley to play Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final. They haven't won this trophy since 2012 so it will be a welcome addition to the cabinet.

It does give City an opportunity to re-establish a daunting lead at the top of the table with Liverpool hoping their neighbours Everton can do them a favour.

Frank Lampard didn't get off to the best start in their fight to avoid relegation with that midweek loss at Newcastle but they may have found some form by this stage to give City a decent contest.

If City were to only draw or even lose, they'd only have a 4/5 point advantage and Liverpool would again have that game in hand. However, given Everton's season, that's probably wishful thinking.

MARCH 5/6

Saturday - LIVERPOOL vs West Ham United; Sunday - MANCHESTER CITY vs Manchester United

A very intriguing first weekend of March sees both our title contenders engaged against top four challengers. Both will have played in the FA Cup in midweek with City afforded the luxury of a longer gap between fixtures.

On the Saturday, Liverpool host West Ham at Anfield. The Hammers inflicted Liverpool's first defeat of the season back in November and have the potential to inflict damage again.

Mind you, David Moyes's team haven't been as consistent in their performances of late and you'd back Liverpool for a narrow win.

24 hours later, it's the Manchester derby. United actually have the better recent record at the Etihad but City completely dominated them earlier in the season.

There's a huge gulf between the two teams at the moment and, though Ralf Rangnick's team will need points for their top four push, you can't really see beyond a City win this time.

MARCH 12/14

Saturday - Brighton and Hove Albion vs LIVERPOOL; Monday - Crystal Palace vs MANCHESTER CITY

If results go their way, Liverpool may really be breathing down City's neck if they take all three points at Brighton in this mid-March fixture.

A realistic best-case scenario, though, is that they'll still be 3/4 points adrift. There will be no room for slip-ups on the south coast to echo the two goal lead they squandered against the Seagulls at Anfield back in October.

Plenty of title chasers have come a cropper at Crystal Palace and Patrick Vieira's side did win 2-0 at the Etihad back in October but it's obvious who the favourites will be.

MARCH 19/20

Saturday - MANCHESTER CITY vs Brighton and Hove Albion; Sunday - LIVERPOOL vs Manchester United

The final set of fixture prior to the March international break sees City host Brighton in what must surely be another three-point banker.

Liverpool, meanwhile, host bitter rivals Man United the following day. As with United's trip to the Etihad, you just can't see them having the wherewithal to win though previous visits have degenerated into bore draws.

Klopp's men would be delighted to take a convincing win over United into the two-week pause and let's not forget they thrashed them 5-0 at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

Chances are they'll have to take all three points to keep the title flame burning anyway.

APRIL 2/3 (TBC)

LIVERPOOL vs Watford; Burnley vs MANCHESTER CITY

The final set of league games before the top two play one another and both should be winnable.

Liverpool host Watford, while Man City head to Burnley and it's unlikely either opponent will have lifted themselves our of relegation turmoil by then.

So it's very likely that Liverpool will arrive at the Etihad still trailing City by a meaningful distance.

They will still have a game in hand from the Carabao Cup weekend - away to Arsenal - but they'd realistically have to win that and also beat City to make things interesting.

Given City's form, you can only really see them dropping points in a handful of their next few matches - potentially Spurs and Man United - but even then they could steamroller them.

In order to get any kind of exciting finish to the season, Liverpool will need to win every single match and hope against hope that City break their recent habit and drop some points.