With their 3-2 victory over Manchester City at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, Liverpool moved one step closer to an unprecedented quadruple.
Having secured the League Cup trophy in February, the Reds find themselves in the semi-final of the Champions League, the final of the FA Cup and one point behind City in the Premier League title race.
Despite all of this, manager Jurgen Klopp has continued to play down his side’s chances of doing something no English club ever has.
Following the League Cup triumph over Chelsea, Klopp said it was “crazy” to even think about the quadruple and while his comments may have been toned down to “really unlikely” in the wake of the FA Cup semi-final victory, it is clear the German is unwilling to allow himself or his team to get carried away.
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Mane double sends Liverpool into FA Cup final after Man City win - ratings and analysis16 April, 2022Chasing the quadruple is a challenge Liverpool have history with. They came close in 1983-84, when they won the First Division, League Cup and European Cup, before losing 2-0 to Brighton in the fourth round of the FA Cup. In 2000-2001, they won another three trophies – the FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup – but only came third in the Premier League.
After scoring two goals against City, Sadio Mane said he believed Liverpool had the team to fight for the quadruple but with a maximum of 10 games left in the season, how realistic are the Reds’ chances?
Premier League
Sky Bet odds: 7-4
Having trailed City by eight points at one stage this season, Liverpool are now just one behind Pep Guardiola’s men.
The two sides met in the league earlier this month but the 2-2 draw at the Etihad was a better result for City given their point advantage and easier (on paper) run-in.
Liverpool and City’s remaining Premier League games
- Liverpool v Manchester United, Tuesday April 19
- City v Brighton, Wednesday April 20
- City v Watford, Saturday April 23
- Liverpool v Everton, Sunday April 24
- Newcastle v Liverpool, Saturday April 30
- Leeds v City, Saturday April 30
- Liverpool v Tottenham, Saturday May 7
- City v Newcastle, Sunday May 8
- Aston Villa v Liverpool, Tuesday May 10
- West Ham v City, Sunday May 15
- Liverpool v Wolves (H), Sunday May 22
- City v Aston Villa, Sunday May 22
- Wolves v City, to be arranged
- Southampton v Liverpool, to be arranged
The average league position of City’s final opponents is 12.7 while Liverpool’s is 10.7 Not only that but the Reds have two derbies to contend in the form of Manchester United and Everton. Jurgen Klopp’s men must also face top-four chasing Tottenham.
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Should Liverpool reach the end of the Spurs match just the one point behind then who knows what could happen in the final games but it appears their title hopes rest on the events of the next few weeks.
Champions League
Sky Bet odds: 6-5
One factor that could have a knock-on effect to Liverpool’s league hopes is actually the Champions League. Having won Europe’s biggest tournament six times in their history and once under Klopp, Liverpool do not have the same level of pressure to win it as Guardiola and City do.
Whether that means City take their eye off the league title remains to be seen but they have been given the harder of the two draws in the semi-final.
While City will face 12-time winners Real Madrid, Liverpool must defeat another Spanish side in the form of Villarreal who knocked out Bayern Munich in the previous round.
As it stands, Liverpool are the bookies’ favourites to win the trophy and they are just three matches away from becoming the joint-second highest winners of the tournament alongside AC Milan on seven.
FA Cup
Sky Bet odds: 1-2
With their win over City in the semi final, Liverpool became odds-on favourites of winning the FA Cup for the first time since 2006.
They will face either of Chelsea or Crystal Palace but both could provide a tough test for Klopp.
He has yet to defeat Chelsea in normal time this season having drawn both Premier League matches alongside a shootout win in the League Cup final.
But Liverpool fans will no doubt be hoping it is Palace who make it through having defeated them twice already this campaign.
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