Liverpool’s next five Premier League fixtures will determine their title chances

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There's no sugarcoating it: Liverpool are officially at their lowest point since Arne Slot's arrival.A 3-0 defeat to Manchester City left the Reds with five losses in their first 11 league games, making them the first defending champions to start this poorly since Chelsea in 2015/16—and already exceeding their total defeats from 2024–25.The recent Champions League win over Real Madrid, like the thrashing of Frankfurt, now seems to be just a brief flicker of hope amid the many issues currently plaguing the team’s form.As seen in the City match. a wildly inconsistent defense and a lack of production from big names up front like Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz.But, for as tempting as it might be to write off the Premier League campaign and focus on Europe—especially with the Reds already eight points behind Arsenal—Liverpool’s upcoming fixtures could offer a final opportunity to claw their way back into the title race if they emerge from the international break with genuine intent to defend their crown.Nottingham Forest FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League | Richard Sellers/Allstar/GettyImagesWho's up next?Coming out of the break, Liverpool's fixture list reads as follows: Nottingham Forest (H),West Ham United (A), Sunderland (H), Leeds United (A) and Brighton & Hove Albion (H). By comparison, Arsenal’s upcoming five opponents have totaled 74 points, while Manchester City’s have 70—underscoring that the Reds’ rivals face a noticeably tougher stretch ahead.If Liverpool can win five from five while the two clear title challengers drop points in two or three games, the Reds could very feasibly be back in business.Obviously, even with a favorable run of fixtures, Liverpool will need to raise their level of performance and are at the mercy of the frontrunners.

But considering the fighting spirit ingrained in this club’s DNA, there’s every reason to believe the Reds will look to capitalize on a schedule that, at least on paper, appears relatively forgiving.Brighton & Hove Albion FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League | Julian Finney/GettyImagesHow will the results look?Liverpool kick off their return from the international break by hosting Nottingham Forest, a side they were unable to beat last season.Perhaps fortunately for the Reds, while they’ve faced significant struggles this season, last year’s surprise team has hit an even steeper skid. 22.With Forest’s recent struggles and Liverpool’s sense that starting the post-international break stretch with a win is absolutely essential, I'll back the Reds to claim a 1-0 victory in a match they’ll likely need to grind out to restore their confidence.Next up is a trip to London to face West Ham.

While it’s unlikely Slot’s men will replicate such a comprehensive victory given their shaky form, they’ve recently shown they can still take care of business against West Ham.The club will also likely feel pressure to deliver another comfortable result, like the one against Aston Villa.With all of this taken into account I'll pick the Reds in this one to make it two straight victories with a 3-1 win.Leeds United v Liverpool FC - Premier League | Naomi Baker/GettyImagesThen comes what will be, in my opinion, the trickiest match of the upcoming run; a date with Sunderland at Anfield.Much like Forest being last season’s “surprise” team, Sunderland have exceeded all expectations in their first Premier League campaign since 2017. While it should feature some tense moments, I’m backing the Reds for a 2-1 victory.Finally, Arne Slot’s squad will host Brighton, currently in 11th place, for the final match of this pivotal run.When the Reds hosted the Seagulls last season, a comeback 2-1 victory convinced me that Liverpool could truly go on to win the league.