Liverpool’s march to the Premier League title seems inevitable now – after they increased their lead at the top of the table to 13 points.
No team in English top-flight history, going all the way back to 1888-89, have been this far clear at this stage of the season and not won the title.
“It’s becoming less of a title race and more of a procession isn’t it?” said Match of the Day host Gary Lineker.
The Reds have only lost once in the league all season – and beat Newcastle 2-0 on Wednesday.
Second-placed Arsenal have dropped points in each of their past two games – including their goalless draw with Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot said: “It is still a long way to go, 10 games. In March we only play one Premier League game – so we are not focused on the long term.
“Now the players have some days off and then we focus on Paris St-Germain [in the Champions League] more than we do on the table in the Premier League.”
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta must know the jig is up but said before the Forest game he would concede the title “over [his] dead body”.
After the match, he told the BBC: “It was the same a week ago, two weeks ago, three months ago. The only thing we can do is win our matches and see how many points we get.”
Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman, meanwhile, said Liverpool are “unstoppable” and “in cruise control”.
“Everyone else is falling away and helping them,” he added.
Forest is third, six points behind Arsenal, and Manchester City – who have won the past four titles – are another point back.
Only one team has ever been 13 points clear in the Premier League and not won the title – with Arsenal beating Manchester United to the title in 1997-98 – but that was earlier in the season.
TodayPriceNG Sport looks at when Liverpool could wrap up their second Premier League title – and record-equalling 20th overall.
Is Salah set for greatest individual Premier League season
What dates could the Reds be looking at?
It is fair to say the Anfield club are champions elect now – so it is a matter of when and not if.
Statisticians Opta say it is 98.7% likely Liverpool will win the title (with Arsenal at 1.3%).
Liverpool are 13 points clear of Arsenal with 10 games to go – although the Gunners have 11 matches left.
If the Reds maintain a 13-point lead that will give them the title with four games to spare – on 26 April against Tottenham.
But if the Gunners win their game in hand – and match their other results, Liverpool would seal the title the following weekend against Chelsea.
If that happened their first game as champions would be a home game against Arsenal, who may end up giving them a guard of honour on to the pitch.
Because of their progress in the Champions League, place in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle and an international break, Liverpool only play one league game in March.
The earliest that Liverpool could mathematically win the title would be in the first week of April.
If the Reds won their next three games and Arsenal lost their next four matches (with teams below them dropping a few points too), it would be over on 5 April.
Liverpool are in a position that no team have ever failed to win the English title from
Liverpool’s final Premier League games (dates subject to change)
8 March: Southampton (H)
2 April: Everton (H)
5 April: Fulham (A)
12 April: West Ham (H)
19 April: Leicester (A)
26 April: Tottenham (H)
3 May: Chelsea (A)
10 May: Arsenal (H)
18 May: Brighton (A)
25 May: Crystal Palace (H)
Could Liverpool break any records?
Liverpool would need everything to go their way to equal their own record of winning the title with seven games to go in 2019-20.
Equalling the five games left of Manchester United (2000-01) and Manchester City (2017-18) is more achievable.
United (1999-2000 and 2012-13) and Arsenal (2003-04) did it with four games to spare.
The earliest date a title has been won by was 14 April 2001 when United were crowned champions.
For Liverpool to beat that record they would need to increase their lead over Arsenal significantly.
The Reds know that if they win it, it will be earlier in the year than their only other Premier League title – which came on 25 June 2020 in the Covid-interupted season.
Arne Slot’s side would have to extend their lead at the top by seven points to record the biggest margin of victory in a Premier League season.
Manchester City finished 19 points clear of Manchester United in 2017-18 when they won the Premier League title with a record 100 points.
The Reds can get a maximum of 97 points.
