As month’s go, April could possible be the most important in Jurgen Klopp’s season. AFP Photo
Paul Kennedy
April’s normally a bit of a nothing month. Little happens of note. It’s neither warm nor cold, rains a bit, the sun comes out from time to time.
It even starts with a day to celebrate fools, and let’s be honest, no one ever plans their annual holidays in April.
All that said, this April will probably be the most important month of the football season, particularly for Liverpool supporters.
It begins on the 2nd, when Watford travel to Anfield for a Premier League match. Three days later, Benfica away in the Champions League, then all eyes will be on the Etihad Stadium when the Reds face Manchester City in a game many believe will decide the title race.
Wednesday 13th, it’s back in the Champions League for the second leg of the quarter final against Benfica then the following weekend, City again, this time in the semi-final of the FA Cup.
Caught your breath yet? There’s more, much more.
Midweek on 19th, Manchester United at home, and followed by Everton, again at Anfield, five days later.
If Liverpool progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League, and they are favourites to do so, the first leg of that match will be on either 27th or 28th, then the month ends with a trip to Newcastle in the Premier League.
That’s definitely eight games, possibly nine, that will define Liverpool’s season.
Winning them all is an extremely tough ask, but one Jurgen Klopp’s team are capable of doing.
If they do, then the illusive quadruple of trophies will be within reach, having already bagged the League Cup last month.
That’s really something I only dare dream about, because as much as I want nothing else than to be the first club in history to win the lot, I think winning all four may be a little out of reach, and personally I’d be extremely happy if Liverpool managed to win one of the three left on offer.
But which one?
It’s been a while since Liverpool last won the FA Cup, 2006, against West Ham in what was known as the Gerrard final for the heroic actions of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.
It’s a great prize to win, the oldest competition in football, but no, I’ll pass.
Champion’s League. Who wouldn’t want to win the elite European competition? And after the quarter-final draw was made, Liverpool do have what some might suggest is an easier route to the final which will be played in Paris on May 29.
Sorry to say I’ll again give this a miss.
For me, the best possible achievement this current Liverpool side can do this season, is to win the Premier League.
Liverpool had to wait 30 years to get their hands on the trophy when they won it at a canter in 2019-20 season, but because the campaign was ravaged by COVID-19, not a single supporter was inside the ground to see them claim their prize.
That’s why for me, if I had to pick just one of the three remaining competitions to win, it would be the title, especially as they were so far behind Manchester City at the beginning of this year.
I want all four. We could get all four, but then again, we many end the season with just the Carabao Cup to our name.
But whatever does happen, there’s a very good chance we will have a better idea of what’s what come the end of next month.
Roll on April. VNS
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