Will Liverpool hold on or can Arsenal pull off a miracle?

WITH the Premier League on an international break until April 2, Liverpool are stuttering at the wrong time, while Arsenal are on a high.

Mikel Arteta’s men have a date with Real Madrid in the Champions League after dismantling PSV with ease in the round of 16.

Meanwhile, Myles Lewis-Skelly has just scored his first goal on his England debut, and Declan Rice is dominating the midfield for the Three Lions.

For Liverpool, on the injury front, Alisson Becker suffered a concussion while playing for Brazil, and Ryan Gravenberch picked up an injury, forcing him to return to Melwood.

From the outside, Arsenal appear to be on the rise, while Liverpool are losing momentum.

The gap between the two teams stands at 12 points.

But will the next few weeks change the course of the Premier League title race, or is the gap too big for Arsenal to close?

Let’s analyse the remaining fixtures for both teams and identify potential stumbling blocks for the league leaders.

Regardless of league position, a derby is always unpredictable, and form often goes out the window.

The blue half of Merseyside would love nothing more than to derail Liverpool’s title challenge, just as they did in Juergen Klopp’s final season.

The only advantage for Arne Slot’s side is that the game will be at Anfield, but David Moyes’ West Ham are also in strong form, going five matches unbeaten.

A potential banana skin for Liverpool? Even a draw could significantly increase the pressure on the league leaders.

Arsenal, however, don’t have it easy either. Fulham are no pushovers under Marco Silva.

Sitting just three points behind fifth-placed Manchester City, Fulham still have a shot at European qualification. They disrupted Arteta’s title challenge last season – could Silva do it again?

In Game week 31, both title challengers will face their Game week 30 opponents again but away from home.

Will Everton roll over to ensure Liverpool don’t win the league while securing their own safety? Or will Moyes have a point to prove and aim to finish the season strong? A fascinating dilemma for the blue half of Merseyside.

Personally, Arsenal’s match against Brentford in Game week 32 could be the real title decider.

Arsenal probably hope Bukayo Saka is back by the time the Bees visit the Emirates.

Brentford have been strong away from home, and Thomas Frank’s men possess the counter-attacking weapons to cause damage.

While Arsenal’s defence should be able to contain Bryan Mbeumo, the key question is whether the Gunners can score early. If the game remains goalless past the 70th minute, expect a nervy atmosphere and a sucker punch from Brentford.

Slot will also be wary of Chelsea in Game week 35, particularly if Cole Palmer finds form.

Chelsea have struggled against teams in the upper half of the table, with most of their recent wins coming against relegation-threatened sides.

With European qualification on the line, Enzo Maresca’s job could be at risk if he fails to get results.

The difference in points between fourth and tenth place is razor-thin and one bad result could drop a team as low as 10th.

It’s fine margins in this year’s Champions League race.

And let’s not forget – Chelsea have ruined Liverpool’s title hopes before. Remember Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip? The Blues would love to repeat history.

A potential game-changer in this title race is Mohamed Salah’s form. Salah leads the Premier League Golden Boot race and has several records within reach.

His Champions League and League Cup heartbreak could highly motivate him to finish the season strong. This might just be his “last dance” at Liverpool, given the uncertainty surrounding his contract situation.

If he can resist the temptations of traditional delicacies during Eid, he could be razor-sharp for the fixtures in the month of Syawal.

Whatever happens, the Premier League title race isn’t over yet.

There’s still a lot of football to be played in the coming weeks. And while the title fight is fascinating, the race for Champions League qualification might be even more exciting.

Could we see a Cinderella story, with an underdog qualifying for Europe? Or will it be the usual suspects once again?

Selamat Hari Raya to those celebrating and enjoy the football over the Aidilfitri break! Stay safe if you’re travelling and enjoy the delicious food!