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LONDON (Reuters) – Liverpool will attempt to sweep away the January blues on the last day of a wretched month when it hosts commanding Premier League leader Chelsea at Anfield on Tuesday.
Juergen Klopp’s side has played eight matches since the turn of the year and won only once – an FA Cup replay against Plymouth Argyle, only to fall to second-tier Wolverhampton Wanderers in the fourth round on Saturday.
That came on the back of League Cup semifinal defeat at home to Southampton and a damaging first home league loss to Swansea City which dealt a major blow to the Reds’ title hopes.
So there could not be a more opportune time to rediscover their mojo than against Antonio Conte’s side, which is eight points ahead of the chasing pack and 10 clear of Liverpool.
The Reds are winless in four home league matches against Chelsea, but won at Stamford Bridge this season and several clubs will be hoping Klopp’s side can put a spanner in the works of Conte’s relentless team.
Second-place Arsenal hosts Watford while Tottenham, nine points behind Chelsea in third place, travels to bottom club Sunderland having taken 22 points from the last 24 available.
Watford has only one win from its last 10 matches and hopes French striker M’Baye Niang, signed on loan from AC Milan, can spark the club back into life.
Niang was once at Arsenal on trial and manager Arsene Wenger, who will be in the stands watching because of a four-game touchline ban, knows he could be a threat.
“We have to keep him quiet because he’s a guy who can do something special,” Wenger said.
Manchester City and Manchester United, both with work to do to get into the top four let alone become serious contenders in the title race, play on Wednesday.
Pep Guardiola’s City, in fifth spot, is likely to have a much sterner task at West Ham United’s London Stadium than it encountered earlier in January when it hammered the Londoners 5-0 in the FA Cup third round.
Jose Mourinho’s sixth-place United is unbeaten in 13 in the league, but has drawn its last two matches and must beat struggling Hull City at Old Trafford to stay in touch with the leaders.
In other English soccer news, Sutton United will host 12-time FA Cup winner Arsenal in the fifth round with fellow non-league side Lincoln City facing a trip to Burnley as the Premier League clubs were kept apart in Monday’s draw.
Holder Manchester United, which last season matched Arsenal’s record FA Cup haul, is at Blackburn Rovers while Chelsea also visits a Championship (second tier) club after being paired with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Tottenham was handed a London derby at second-tier Fulham and Manchester City is away to Huddersfield Town. Oxford United visits Middlesbrough, while Millwall hosts Leicester City or Derby County, who replay their fourth-round tie on February 8.