Liverpool could have been knocked off their Premier League perch by the time that they walk out for Saturday's battle with Burnley at Anfield.
The Reds' title aspirations suffered one of their most damaging blows yet in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal last weekend, while Vincent Kompany's men fought back from 2-0 down to steal a point off Fulham in a 2-2 draw.
Match preview
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To describe Liverpool's Emirates outing last weekend as a defensive disasterclass would not be wholly inaccurate, as the Reds' 11-game unbeaten streak in all competitions and 15-match run without defeat in the Premier League - which had stood since their last visit to North London - came to a bitter end.
A bizarre Gabriel Magalhaes own goal may have drawn Liverpool level against the run of play after Bukayo Saka had broken the deadlock, but Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk combined for a defensive howler in the second period - gifting Gabriel Martinelli an open goal - before the former was beaten at his near post by Leandro Trossard in added time.
Ibrahima Konate's sending-off rubbed salt into the wounds for a downcast Jurgen Klopp, whose men left the Emirates battered, bruised and deservedly on the losing side, leading the German to profess that "everything" went against his side during their unsuccessful trip to the capital.
Liverpool are still the best in the land regarding the Premier League rankings, but their lead over Arsenal and Manchester City now stands at just two points, and the Citizens - who have a game in hand - can bump the Reds down to second by beating Everton in the lunchtime kickoff.
Redemption will be the order of the day at Anfield, though, as the Reds have avoided defeat in each of their last 23 top-flight affairs in front of the Merseyside crowd, although a run of six games without a home clean sheet in all competitions offers Burnley the smallest sliver of hope.
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On the final day of the 2021-22 season, Steven Gerrard memorably came close to springing an Etihad surprise with his Aston Villa side as Liverpool pursued title glory right until the end. The stakes may not be quite so high in February, but Man City icon Vincent Kompany can give his erstwhile employers a helping hand of his own on Merseyside.
The Belgian's Citizens reunion on January 31 went according to the script as Burnley suffered a 3-1 defeat to the champions, and one of the most familiar outcomes in the Premier League this season - the Clarets losing at Turf Moor - was set to come to fruition when Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Muniz put Fulham two goals to the good by half time last weekend.
However, after providing an assist off the bench against Man City, Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana harnessed his super-sub qualities yet again with a late brace - netting his second of the afternoon in the first minute of injury time - and allowing himself to be mobbed by the elated Lancashire faithful.
The visitors' predicament is not any less perilous, though, as their tally of 13 points is only better than that of basement boys Sheffield United, and the 19th-placed Clarets are seven points worse off than 17th-placed Luton Town, who also possess a game in hand.
The travelling crowd can take some encouragement from the fact that their men have netted in each of their last four Premier League away matches, but they have coincidentally been beaten in each of their last four Premier League games versus Liverpool, who left Turf Moor with a 2-0 Boxing Day win under their belts.
Team News
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Having been made to take the walk of shame for a pair of bookable offences on Sunday, Liverpool centre-back Konate will serve a one-game ban this weekend, offering Jarell Quansah the chance to strut his stuff alongside Van Dijk in the heart of defence.
All of Darwin Nunez, Alexis Mac Allister and Thiago Alcantara - appearing for the first time since April - were passed fit to face the Gunners, but the latter sustained a fresh muscular injury and is now facing another spell on the sidelines.
Dominik Szoboszlai was a late absentee from the squad with a thigh problem and is also absent, while Conor Bradley will not be involved this weekend either following the death of his father.
Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Ben Doak (knee), Mohamed Salah (thigh) and Joel Matip (knee) are still confined to the infirmary, but Wataru Endo should be back at Klopp's disposal following Japan's elimination from the Asian Cup last weekend, while Kostas Tsimikas (collarbone) is back in training too.
As far as Burnley are concerned, long-term absentees Luca Koleosho (knee) and Nathan Redmond (thigh) will watch this one from the sidelines, while Jordan Beyer (muscle) should not return either, but there is optimism over the fitness of Charlie Taylor (shoulder) and Hannes Delcroix (knock).
Another defender, Hjalmar Ekdal, only lasted until half time against Fulham before being replaced by Montpellier HSC loanee Maxime Esteve, who is now in line for his full Clarets debut.
On the back of his heroics against the Cottagers, Datro Fofana could not have done more to force his way into the visitors' two-pronged attack; either Lyle Foster or Zeki Amdouni should make way for the Ivorian.
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Endo, Mac Allister; Jota, Nunez, Diaz
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Assignon, O'Shea, Esteve, Vitinho; Gudmundsson, Berge, Brownhill, Odobert; Datro Fofana, Foster
We say: Liverpool 4-1 Burnley
Burnley managed to give a good account of themselves when Liverpool paid a visit to Turf Moor over the festive period, and the Reds' propensity to concede at home coupled with the Clarets' penchant for goals on the road means that no sheets should be clean this weekend.
However, Klopp's men emerge to the Anfield roar with more than one point to prove, and the wounded hosts - who average nearly three goals per Premier League game on home turf - will be expected to run riot against their relegation-threatened foes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
