Liverpool Focus Turns to Arsenal After “Not Perfect But Important” Win

After a difficult return to Premier League action in a 3-3 draw against Brighton last weekend, Liverpool appeared to take a step in the right direction mid-week in Champions League action as they eased past Scotland’s Rangers by a score of 2-0.

The real test as to where this team is and what their hopes for the rest of the season should realistically be, though, won’t be Rangers. It will be their next two league games, meetings against current leaders Arsenal and title favourites Manchester City.

“Not perfect but it’s important to win the games at home,” star winger Mohamed Salah said, reflecting on Tuesday’s victory and Sunday’s coming challenge against Mikel Arteta’s Gunners. “We just need to carry on and try to win the next games.

“We just try to focus on each game, take one game at a time, because in the Premier League also we are not in our form. We just try to think of each game and be first in the group in the Champions League and also try to win in the Premier League.”

Tuesday’s win over Rangers gives the Reds a solid six points in Europe, three back of group leaders Napoli but still well positioned and knowing that another win against Rangers next week would at least pencil them if for the knockout rounds.

In the league things look a little less positive, with Jürgen Klopp’s men having just ten points to show for their first seven games. Still, that’s at least not miles off the likes of Chelsea and Man United in fifth and sixth on 13 and 12 points, respectively.

For a side expected to be neck-and-neck with City in the title race, though, it’s not where they wanted to be, and they now likely need victories over Arsenal and City in the next two weeks if they still hope to compete for more than the top four.