And so it has come to this for Liverpool. Win their next six games and they are Premier League Champions for the first time ever and English champions for the first time in 24 years.
The league title is in their own hands.
Six games – that’s about a sixth of the season. The clocks have changed. The seasons have changed. It’s the final sprint. Or a hurdle race if you will.
Obviously, there are two hurdles bigger than the others.
The games against Man City and Chelsea have been earmarked for a while as the title-deciding games. But Liverpool are at home for these games and will understandably be up for them.
It is the smaller hurdles Liverpool have to look out for. Andy Carroll looking to haunt the team that let him go when the Reds visit the Hammers. Also Crystal Palace will be a challenge. They are led by Tony Pulis, a man whose teams have given Liverpool plenty of problems in the past, and fresh from beating another title hopeful in Chelsea.
Liverpool have to maintain the focus and treat each game as a cup final, which is something the players and management are not shy in saying every time a microphone is put in front of them.
The motivation is surely there – glory for the long-suffering fans after such a long wait. Making things right after agonising close calls. And to cap Steven Gerrard’s legendary career with the only major club trophy he hasn’t won.
Six games. It’s funny isn’t it?
Last time Liverpool we so desperately analysing six games and going through endless scenarios was actually earlier this year.
The first six games of the year in fact – of which one Luis Suarez was suspended. “If we can just hang in there after the first six games” Reds fans would say, “Suarez will return and he will be like a new signing. And he will fire us into the Champions League”.
The Champions League was the limit of ambition for Liverpool fans at the start of the year. Now they are dreaming of the title.
Liverpool didn’t just hang in there – led by Daniel Sturridge in the absence of Luis Suarez, they had a championship-winning start. And the form continued after the first six rounds.
Suarez did indeed return and did indeed fire Liverpool to many wins. Sturridge missed some games with injury, and Suarez returned the favour by keeping the back of the net rattling.
The team clicked and gelled when Sturridge returned. Raheem Sterling made the decision not to sign an attacker in January look like a financial masterstroke as he played in such devastating form that he altered the SAS to the SASAS.
And Martin Skrtel’s goalscoring form threatened to add another few letters to this moniker.
Liverpool look irresistible. They have won six in a row in all competitions. They recently scored six goals against Cardiff. And they just have to do it for six more games.
Then, they need to go on and win the famous “Number 6” next year.
Dan
Guest
Spirited performance by the Hammers though. Took two penalties to put us away, Suarez looked dangerous but apart from the penalties and him we contained them fairly well. I do hope Pool march on to the title though.
drew777
Roar Pro
Yeah, that didn't happen.
Dan
Guest
West Ham will knock em off this weekend @ Upton Park. Up the Hammers!
Vivalasvegan
Guest
But Liverpool play Citeh...
bill boomer
Guest
MVFC played Liverpool off the park? Are you a troll or just deluded?
Worlds Biggest
Guest
It's not in Liverpools hands as City will win it if they win all there games. Hammers this weekend along with Palace, Norwich & Newcastle are all banana skin games. The City and Chelsea games will be epic.
Disco
Guest
Arsenal went 18 games unbeaten to clinch the 97/98 title with two matches to spare, winning ten games in a row. And then 01/02 they went 21 games unbeaten, winning their last 13 matches.
Swampy
Guest
As Liverpool have already won 6 in a row I can't see them winning 12 in a row to claim the title (has that ever been done?). There will be a twist to come - there always is. Six games is still a lot of football. It is worth remembering that City are now out of all other comps and only have the EPL left on which to concentrate. A luxury Liverpool have had all this year. Even a draw or 2 and the rest of the top 4 surge back to contention. Mind you, Liverpool have come a long way since MVFC played them off the park in pre-season with every Red's fan favourite sulking after handing in his transfer request and being denied. Rogers has certainly proved himself regardless of this season's outcome.
BP
Guest
Well both Liverpool and City don't need to rely on other results going their way as long as they win all of their games, so the game at Anfield against City will be the decider if this is the case. Do agree City are still favourites for the title and probably have the easiest run home, however, it would be a great achievement if Liverpool win the title, especially as they did have rather low expectations of just qualifying in a champions league position. By the way I'm not a Liverpool fan, but I would like to see Liverpool rewarded for giving Brendan Rodgers the time to develop a style of play, instead of demanding instant results and sacking him last season for finishing 7th where many other clubs (i.e.. Chelsea and City) have sacked managers for finishing as "low" as 2nd!
NORDBURG
Guest
Steven McBain,the story was about Liverpool,not a general analysis of whats to come for the Premier League -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
Nice romantic piece but it's also in City's hands by your logic. If they win all their games they win it too. Seems a bit daft to suggest that only Liverpool will be up for the games against City and Chelsea. Both those teams are packed full of players who have already won titles, don't you think they'll be slightly motivated too?? Ah the rose tinted glasses of the Anfield faithful, what the heck just keep drinking the koolade.