A late own goal from Nordi Mukiele spared Liverpool's blushes at Anfield on Wednesday night, securing a 1-1 draw against a resilient Sunderland side. The result leaves manager Arne Slot with much to ponder as his team seeks consistency in the Premier League.
Late Drama at Anfield
Following a morale-boosting 2-0 win at West Ham United last Sunday, Liverpool hoped to build momentum. However, they fell behind after 67 minutes when Chemsdine Talbi's long-range effort took a decisive deflection off Virgil van Dijk. The Reds, to their credit, fought back and equalised with nine minutes of normal time remaining. Florian Wirtz's shot was turned into his own net by Sunderland's Nordi Mukiele, salvaging a point.
The draw means Liverpool have lost further ground in the race for the European places, intensifying the scrutiny on Slot's early tenure. The focus now shifts to a critical run of festive fixtures that could define their season.
Liverpool's Crucial Festive Run
The coming weeks present a significant opportunity for Liverpool to climb the table. Their next five Premier League matches are as follows:
- Leeds United (A) - Saturday, December 6
- Brighton & Hove Albion (H) - Saturday, December 13
- Tottenham Hotspur (A) - Saturday, December 20
- Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) - Saturday, December 27
- Leeds United (H) - Thursday, January 1
The immediate test is a trip to Elland Road to face a newly-promoted Leeds side brimming with confidence after a midweek victory over Chelsea. Home games against Brighton and Wolves appear favourable on paper, while the away fixture at Tottenham represents a stern challenge. Slot will be desperate for his team to capitalise on this sequence and accumulate points.
How Rivals' Schedules Compare
Chelsea, reeling from their loss to Leeds, face Bournemouth (A), Everton (H), Newcastle (A), Aston Villa (H), and Bournemouth (H). Their title aspirations have suffered, making this a pivotal period to avoid further slip-ups.
Manchester City have a seemingly gentler path, hosting Sunderland before trips to Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. A home match against West Ham completes their set. The reigning champions will be expected to take maximum points.
Manchester United kick off their run against West Ham (H) and Wolves (A). Their festive period then includes Bournemouth (H) before tough clashes with Aston Villa (A) and Newcastle United (H). Erik ten Hag's side will need to navigate these games carefully.
The next five game weeks are set to be pivotal for the top-flight's chasing pack. For Liverpool, the mission is clear: transform their late rescue act against Sunderland into a sustained run of victories to reignite their European ambitions.
