Liverpool will have effectively wrapped up the Premier League title race should they beat West Ham United on Sunday, Reds expert David Lynch has claimed.
Arne Slot's side fell behind early on against Leicester City on Boxing Day but responded emphatically, dominating proceedings and emerging as worthy 3-1 victors.
The win saw the Merseysiders extend their lead at the top of the table to six points after Chelsea's 2-1 loss against Fulham on Thursday.
Liverpool take on West Ham in the Premier League away from home on Sunday, and though the Hammers are in better form of late, Lynch believes that the Reds should be confident of victory.
Lynch told Sports Mole: "[West Ham] can hit you on the counter, players like Bowen and Paqueta, they're really high-quality players, so you've got to be wary, particularly [as] playing away from home in the Premier League this season just seems a little trickier.
"But let's say [Liverpool take the game seriously], then the opportunity for them to score goals will always be there, and having Jota back, it feels absolutely massive. Obviously he didn't have a big impact on the game [against Tottenham Hotspur], and Liverpool scored six anyway, but I think he is vitally important and he will start games over this period.
"They've got to be confident that they can add to the goal difference, and that's not necessarily going to be the aim - it will be to just win the games - but it is an opportunity to create a gap [to Arsenal and Chelsea] and make the most of the fact that [West Ham] defensively leave a lot to be desired."
The Hammers are unbeaten in their last four games and have won twice in that period, but they are set to be without a number of key players including goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, centre-back Max Kilman and midfielder Tomas Soucek.
Why Liverpool will not be caught by Arsenal or Chelsea
Liverpool are currently six points ahead of Arsenal and seven points ahead of Chelsea, but boast the luxury of having a game in hand on both teams, while Slot's side also have the best goal difference in the division.
The Reds' lead at the top of the league is even more impressive considering they have drawn with both Newcastle United and Fulham in two of their last four top-flight matches, but their stalemates were not punished by either the Gunners or the Blues, who haves both shown inconsistency in recent weeks.
In light of Arsenal and Chelsea's struggles, Lynch believes that a victory on Sunday against West Ham could give the Reds a near-unassailable advantage over their title rivals, telling Sports Mole: "Chelsea and Arsenal - they've got a few tests over this festive period where you think they could be drop points.
"If Liverpool win their games over this period, they win the next two and if there are any more dropped points from Chelsea or Arsenal, you get to the point where it's already wrapped up. You don't want to get too carried away, but it's the level of form Liverpool are showing at the moment and the problems that the other teams around them are having.
"[Given Chelsea and Arsenal's] inability to string wins together, the gap will at some point become too big for them to believe that they can overhaul it, so it's an opportunity for Liverpool to really put the foot down."
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has overseen a draw and a defeat in his side's two most recent league matches, while Arsenal have drawn two of their last four Premier League games.
© Imago
Could complacency cost Arne Slot and Liverpool?
Liverpool are on track to record 93 points in the Premier League this term, while champions Manchester City can only tally a maximum total of 88 points.
Barring a remarkable collapse, Pep Guardiola's side will not win the title this campaign, but it looks as though the Reds are the only team capable of capitalising on City's weaknesses.
Chelsea are on track to tally just 73 points, while Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are on pace to record 76 points, meaning that a period of bad results will almost certainly not derail Liverpool's title chances.
Additionally, news that Bukayo Saka is set to miss out on action as a result of a hamstring injury for more than two months could have a significant impact on the Gunners' ability to stay in the race in the second half of the season.
One area that Slot might be concerned about is his side's defensive displays in the past few weeks given they have conceded 11 goals in their last six matches.
However, the Reds are unbeaten in their last 22 games in all competitions, and a win against West Ham would see the league leaders end 2024 with four consecutive victories.
Lewis Nolan
