🗓️10 games in 33 days: Liverpool's title credentials set to be put to the test during relentless round-off to 2023

Strap yourselves in, Reds - this next month or so sees the fixtures come thick and fast even by modern standards, with a variety of challenges in store for Jurgen Klopp's side

The club season so far has had a staccato feel to it, with three international breaks in the space of 11 weeks, but it’s now full steam ahead until the end of March, with the remainder of 2023 being particularly turbo-charged for Liverpool.

In a 33-day period between Saturday’s trip to Manchester City and the Boxing Day bout away to Burnley, there’ll be 21 Premier League points on offer for the Reds - just over 75% of the tally they’ve accumulated already this term. Those seven matches present a variety of tests which’ll give a firm indicator as to our title credentials.

The heavyweight clashes against both Manchester clubs and Arsenal are interspersed with testing away trips to teams in the bottom half, against whom maximum points are required if Virgil van Dijk is to be hoisting the league trophy at Anfield in six months’ time.

The top flight takes firm priority between now and the New Year, but it’s not the only delicacy in Liverpool’s diet. There are also two more Europa League group games to negotiate with a view to wrapping up qualification as smoothly as possible, along with the prospect of taking another step towards Wembley and the Carabao Cup final in February.

With the international break now behind us and the focus firmly fixed on the club season, let’s look ahead to what awaits for the Reds in the final five weeks of 2023 - a period which could potentially make or break the prospect of a genuine Premier League title challenge.