Liverpool's fate is in its own hands as remaining fixtures test Arne Slot credentials

The Liverpool head coach faces a daunting run of games across the final months of the season, which will challenge two of Arne Slot's recurring points throughout the campaign

Arne Slot and Liverpool faces a tough run of fixtures to end the season(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool breathed a sigh of relief when the news filtered through from the Hill Dickinson on Saturday.

Rarely do the Reds want Everton to take all three points, but when it is facing a direct rival, one that would have leapfrogged the Premier League champions in the table, local allegiances are set aside.

That was the case on Saturday, when the Toffees swotted Chelsea aside with a straightforward 3-0 win, ensuring Liam Rosenior’s beleaguered side remain in sixth, a point behind Liverpool. No side seems capable of pulling clear in the race for the top five. That Manchester United, a laughing stock for the first half of the campaign, sits third tells its own story.

In contrast, Liverpool has taken one point from its last three games. Prior to this weekend, Aston Villa, in fourth, had lost three league matches in a row, while Chelsea has won just one in six. All three have shown glimpses of their capabilities this season, making the inconsistencies even more bewildering.

Perhaps it speaks to a wider issue across the Premier League, where quality has been questioned following last week’s Champions League struggles, or to the ill effects of the condensed calendar.

Either way, the travails of Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea have opened the door for the league’s next rung of clubs. Everton’s win on Saturday has pushed the Toffees into the mix - they now trail Liverpool by just three points.

That means, if the Reds’ Merseyside derby win in September is discounted, the clubs have matched each other’s points tally this season.

Slot's elite coaching credentials are set to be tested between now and the end of the season(Image: Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Brentford - tipped for relegation before the campaign - has also forced its way into the picture. Like Everton, it is now potentially just one win away from overtaking the Reds in the table.

Even Fulham in ninth, sitting five points behind Liverpool, may hold tentative hopes of pushing up the table in the coming weeks.

It makes for an intriguing end to the campaign, not just for the Champions League, with Europa League and Conference League places also up for grabs. There will be no shortage of blockbuster ties, with Liverpool set to be particularly prevalent in that.

Incredibly, the Reds are set to play all of United, Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Brentford and Fulham in its final seven league matches of the term, with the home clash against Crystal Palace representing the only remaining fixture against a side not currently inside the top 10.

Despite Liverpool's issues, its fate remains in its own hands(Image: Alfie Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

It’s a daunting prospect, especially with Liverpool still competing in two cup competitions and, as Arne Slot is only too keen to reference, recuperation and rest time are at a premium.

And yet, it means the champions’ fate is very much in their own hands. On numerous occasions, Slot has spoken of the Reds’ struggles this season when facing sides that deployed low blocks and long balls, and has often shown their best against better-quality opposition.

As for recovery, Liverpool plays just one league match before the FA Cup and Champions League ties against Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain - based solely on league form, exits in both would undoubtedly help, although Slot’s hopes of remaining beyond the end of the season would certainly be strengthened by lifting silverware.

Regardless, across the remaining fixtures this season - which could range between 10 and 15 - the Dutchman needs to see a vast improvement in terms of performances and results.

That so many come against the league’s top sides will provide the ultimate test of Slot’s managerial pedigree.