Liverpool must come to terms with a rare domestic loss as the Premier League leaders fight to get back on track this weekend.
Beaten at Arsenal last Sunday, if Jurgen Klopp’s side slip up again at home to Burnley, then either Manchester City or the Gunners could knock Liverpool out of pole position.
AFP Sport looks at three key talking points ahead of the latest round of matches:
Title destiny in Liverpool’s hands
Jurgen Klopp has told his Liverpool players to “create their own destiny” in the title race, starting with Saturday’s visit from struggling Burnley.
After losing 3-1 against third-placed Arsenal last weekend, Klopp’s men are just two points ahead of second-placed Manchester City, with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners also trailing the leaders by the same margin.
It was only Liverpool’s second league defeat this term and Klopp said: “We didn’t lose recently an awful lot of football games, we know that.
“That means dealing with defeats is a challenge, for humankind actually. Nobody here expects that we just will fly over Burnley or whatever.”
Klopp, in the midst of his final season in charge of Liverpool, knows his side can ill-afford to crash against second-bottom Burnley and he called on them to seize the moment rather than fear it.
“It’s a home game and we can turn things around, meaning the first step, and then we will see,” he said.
“Nobody celebrates the champion and nobody is relegated as far as I know, so we have all the chance to create our own destiny.”
‘Humble’ Arsenal ready for photo finish
Martin Odegaard insists Arsenal will remain “humble” after being criticised by some pundits for ‘over-celebrating’ their vital victory against Liverpool.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta embarked on a jubilant jig down the touchline after Leandro Trossard’s stoppage-time goal killed off their title rivals at the raucous Emirates Stadium.
