Aston Villa against Liverpool will be a crucial fixture for Arne Slot as the Reds look to disprove rumours they are “nervous” title favourites.
A tentative 2-2 draw in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison last week was followed by a scrappy 2-1 win against a struggling Wolves side who dominated in the second half.
Victory over Villa could be pivotal on their quest to become Premier League champions.
But defeat could launch them into a downward spiral reminiscent of previous years.
An all too familiar tale
Not too distant memories of Liverpool’s previous title challenges must be lingering in the minds of the Liverpool faithful.
Both in the 2018/2019 and 2021/2022 seasons, the Reds missed out on the title by one point to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
They held a seven-point lead over City in December 2018 but a decline in form after Christmas allowed the Blues to regain the top spot.
Slot will take on Guardiola again just four days after the visit to Villa Park, against a City side that has endured their worst season in Guardiola’s nine-year tenure.
But Liverpool will want to go to the Etihad with confidence, making a Wednesday night win vital.
Slot has shut down talk of nerves among the Anfield camp.
“I think it is because we’re coming to the end of the season and not because of us but because of what people make of it,” he said.
“People are going to talk about nerves. But to secure a win in the Premier League if you are only leading by one goal, there’s always going to be a lot of defending and a lot of hard work.”
With Arsenal seven points behind, Slot will be mindful that maintaining form is crucial.
A Rashford revival?
While Unai Emery’s Villa have exceeded expectations in the Champions League, gaining automatic qualification to the round of 16, they have had a disappointing league campaign.
Emery will be looking to channel their ground-breaking 7-2 victory over Liverpool in 2020, just five months after the Reds were crowned champions.
But Emery knows the challenge that lies ahead.
He said: “I appreciate the very high performance they are getting this year, more than the last two years when I arrived here.
“Of course, with Klopp they did fantastic, but this year with Slot they are even doing better.”
Marcus Rashford will also be looking for his first Premier League start for Villa, following his January loan move from Manchester United.
This is a perfect opportunity for Rashford to kickstart his stint in the Midlands.
With just four goals in 16 appearances this season, the match is just as important for Rashford as it is for Liverpool.
The Mancunian has scored seven goals against Liverpool in 19 appearances across all competitions, with five of those goals in the Premier League.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool will be live on TNT 2 from 6.30pm.
