When can Liverpool win the Premier League title?
Liverpool could claim their first title in 30 years at Goodison Park or the Etihad Stadium
By Gerard Brand
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It's becoming inevitable that Liverpool will claim their first title in 30 years, but when exactly will it happen? And can they secure it at the home of a rival?
Here, we do the maths on the possibilities, how they can win the title at rivals Everton or Manchester City, and what records they could break along the way...
What if Liverpool and Man City keep winning?
Following Manchester City's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham, Liverpool need 18 points from their remaining 13 games to secure the Premier League title - that's six wins.
So if both Liverpool and City keep winning from this point, Liverpool's sixth win, as the current schedule goes, would be at Anfield against Crystal Palace on Saturday, March 21, live on Sky Sports.
You say 'as the current schedule goes'...
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There could be some fixture confusion if Liverpool keep winning on all fronts.
If Liverpool, who beat Shrewsbury in their FA Cup fourth-round replay on Tuesday, make it to the quarter-finals of the competition by beating Chelsea in the fifth round, their home match with Crystal Palace on March 21 will be moved.
City's Premier League game at Chelsea on March 21 will also be moved if they win at Sheffield Wednesday in the fifth round (played week commencing March 2), while their home game with Arsenal (changed for Carabao Cup final) is still to be re-arranged.
It's hard to see both of these games being moved before the Man City vs Liverpool game on the weekend of April 4, with an international break straight after the FA Cup round.
Therefore, the sixth game - if Liverpool and City keep winning - could be against Manchester City at the Etihad on the weekend of April 4.
Fixtures could also change with FA Cup semi-finals scheduled for the weekend of April 18.
Liverpool's remaining PL fixtures
But what if Liverpool keep winning and City don't?
Not an impossibility, given City's run of fixtures before the weekend of April 4 includes Leicester (away) and Manchester United (away).
The very earliest Liverpool could win the title is at home against Bournemouth on Saturday, March 7. However that would mean Liverpool winning all of their matches, City slipping up in all, and Leicester beating City but not winning any other game.
At that point, Liverpool would have nine games remaining, smashing the record for most games remaining when a title has been secured (five - Man Utd 2000/01 and Man City 2017/18). Man Utd also hold the record for the earliest title-winning date - April 14 in the 2000/01 season.
More realistically, if City get less than three points compared to Liverpool between now and 14 March, the Reds can claim the title at Goodison Park on the weekend of March 16, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
Goodison?! Tell me more! What has to happen for Liverpool to win the league at Everton?
If Liverpool keep winning, City drop three points and Leicester drop any points between now and the Merseyside derby, Jurgen Klopp's side would claim the title at Goodison Park on March 16.
It did look as though Storm Ciara's role in the postponement of Man City's home game with West Ham would help Everton fans ever so slightly, in that it would have given City one less game in which to drop points. However, that game has been rescheduled for February 19, live on Sky Sports, so technically nothing changes.
If Liverpool did secure the title at Goodison, it would be only the second time a team have secured the Premier League title at the home of their local rivals, after Arsenal won the league at White Hart Lane in 2004.
Wait, all of this depends on Liverpool winning every game. What if they slip up a couple times?
We're going with current form, so you can't blame us. But of course, it would take an incredible effort for Liverpool to keep winning, and they would be smashing records along the way.
There are many possibilities if Liverpool drop points here and there, so it's important to keep tabs on those 18 points that Liverpool need, and work from there.
Don't forget about Leicester, either. The maths changes slightly if the Foxes overtake City in the coming weeks; they're currently two points behind.
We're still seven weeks away from the clocks changing, and Liverpool could win the title pretty soon. What records could they break?
- The points record of 100 (Man City 2017/18) could be smashed; Liverpool will have 112 points if they win every game, and their current points-per-game rate has them finishing on 110.
- The biggest points gap between first and second is 19 points (Man City 2017/18) - the gap now is 22. City need to better Liverpool's results between now and the end of the season to protect that record.
- Liverpool need nine wins from their final 13 games to beat the win record of 32 (Man City 2017/18).
- Liverpool are two games shy of equalling the most consecutive wins (18 - Man City August to December 2017).
- However, Liverpool need another 46 goals to break the record for most goals, which is 106 (Man City 2017/18), and their current goals-per-game rate would have them finishing on well short on 89.
Follow the action with Sky Sports
Liverpool are back in Premier League action on February 15 at Norwich, live on Sky Sports Premier League; kick-off 5.30pm. We'll also have a live blog and full-time highlights of the trip to Carrow Road.
Liverpool's other February games against West Ham (home - Feb 24) and Watford (away - Feb 29) will be shown on Sky Sports, as well as their March fixtures against Everton (away - March 16) and Crystal Palace (home - March 21).
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