Under Arne Slot, Liverpool won the 2024/25 Premier League title by a 10-point margin, but the way they’ve started the current campaign, they might well retain their crown with an even bigger gap to the chasing pack. After three games of 2025/26, the Reds are the only side in the division with a 100% record, having beaten Bournemouth (home), Newcastle United (away) and last year’s runners-up Arsenal (home). And that’s been without seemingly hitting top gear. But after spending a small fortune on new players over the summer, things might get even more impressive for Liverpool once the new stars find their feet.
In this article, we’ll look ahead to Liverpool’s upcoming games and pose the question: could the title race be over by Christmas?
Reds Could (Perhaps Should) Win Next Three Premier League Games
Liverpool have a packed schedule once the current international break comes to an end, as they have to fit in six matches between 14th and 30th September. With their three Premier League games in that time looking eminently winnable, the Reds could be sitting pretty at the top of the table with a little breathing space by the time October rolls around. But they also have a couple of Champions League matches and a League Cup game to contend with, which could stretch the newly expanded squad to its limits.
| Date | Fixture | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 14th Sep | Burnley v Liverpool | Premier League |
| Wed 17th Sep | Liverpool v Atlético de Madrid | Champions League |
| Sat 20th Sep | Liverpool v Everton | Premier League |
| Tue 23rd Sep | Liverpool v Southampton | League Cup |
| Sat 27th Sep | Crystal Palace v Liverpool | Premier League |
| Tue 30th Sep | Galatasaray v Liverpool | Champions League |
Assuming Slot opts for wholesale changes for the EFL Cup visit of Southampton, that still leaves five crucial matches before the end of the month. And with games against Chelsea and Manchester coming along in October, there’ll be no time to regroup after the aforementioned fixtures are done and dusted. But let’s look at each of the Reds’ September Premier League matches in turn and ponder whether the Anfield outfit will keep their winning start alive.
Burnley v Liverpool – Prediction: 3-1 to Liverpool
Burnley have been something of a yo-yo club in recent times, getting relegated at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, before bouncing straight back as champions, only to go straight back down the following season. They finished second in the Championship last term behind Leeds, despite amassing an impressive total of 100 points. So far this term, they lost away to both Tottenham (3-0) and Man United (3-2), but beat Sunderland at home (2-0).
Based on the encounters Liverpool have had with Burnley over the last decade or so, it would be a major surprise if the Reds didn’t win this one. Liverpool have won eight, drawn one and lost one of their last 10 league matches against the Clarets, and seven of those victories came with a margin of two goals or more.
Liverpool v Everton – Prediction: 2-1 to Liverpool
Since David Moyes returned to Everton, the club have rediscovered their self-belief. Coupled with the move to the sparkling new stadium, for the first time in a long time, Toffees fans have an air of optimism about them. And nothing could do more to improve the mood of your average Evertonian than victory over their Merseyside rivals.
Unfortunately for Moyes and co, we feel Liverpool will simply have too much firepower for Everton to stay on terms. One saving grace for Everton is that the Reds have a tough European game just three days before this. But such is the quality and strength in depth of Slot’s squad, we think the team that takes to the field in the Merseyside derby will be both fresh and hungry. We can’t see it being an easy game for the home side, and we expect Everton to give (almost) as good as they get. But ultimately, our money is on a narrow win for Slot’s troops.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool: Liverpool to win 2-0
Interestingly, only three sides are unbeaten in the Premier League after three games: Liverpool, as mentioned, Chelsea… and Crystal Palace. The Eagles earned a very decent away draw at Chelsea in their opening game, before a 1-1 draw against Forest at home. Palace turned on the style last time out, however, when they beat Aston Villa 3-0 on the road. Before that, of course, Oliver Glasner’s men beat Liverpool in the Community Shield, and although that was on penalties, they were the better side for much of the game and deserved the win.
As such, of all Liverpool’s league matches in September, Palace away looks the toughest on paper. But by then, many of the Reds’ new signings will have bedded in and adapted to Slot’s plans for them. That could spell trouble for Palace, especially if the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike are finding form by then. If not, Slot can rely on plenty of his other highly accomplished stars, such as Dominik Szoboszlai and the ever-dangerous Mohamed Salah. Overall, we think Liverpool will have more than enough attacking prowess to get the better of Palace this time around.
Which Teams Might Spoil Liverpool’s Title Challenge
Even this early in the season, a few things have become apparent that could affect how the race for the Premier League title plays out. Firstly, Manchester City haven’t shaken off last season’s inconsistencies. Despite starting with an easy 4-0 victory over Wolves, Pep Guardiola’s men then lost at home to Spurs, before a troubling 2-1 defeat at Brighton. Unless they can get themselves together quickly, the Cityzens could find themselves with too much ground to make up to mount a serious title challenge.
Arsenal, meanwhile, started brightly enough, but they couldn’t quite get the job done when it mattered… against the champions Liverpool. If the Gunners are to finally finish at the top of the tree (instead of in the runners-up position they’ve occupied for the last three seasons), they will need to win – or at the very least draw – against their biggest title rivals.
Finally, Chelsea look like a coherent side, for the first time in ages. They couldn’t quite get over the line in their opening game against a very stubborn Crystal Palace side, but since then, Enzo Maresca’s men have beaten West Ham 5-1 away and Fulham 2-0 at home. Okay, they are games they would be expected to win, but the Blues actually looked very good. And, still high on confidence after their FIFA Club World Cup triumph, they could prove to be the side most likely to challenge Liverpool.