Liverpool FC: Win over Manchester City Can Lead Champions League Place Charge

As Liverpool prepare for their first fixture of 2012 against Premier League leaders Manchester City, they will have received a huge boost over the past few days with their current main rivals for a top-four spot, leading to a Champions League place, having dropped vital points in seemingly straight-forward fixtures.

Liverpool are no strangers to this kind of slip-up themselves, of course, having managed only draws against both Wigan Athletic and Blackburn Rovers over the Christmas period, but having gotten back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over seventh-place Newcastle United, the Reds suddenly find themselves able to go level on points with fourth-place Chelsea should they defeat the league leaders.

The main slip up of the new year came from Arsenal, who had the chance to take fourth place themselves after going 1-0 up against Fulham, but the Gunners saw Johan Djourou sent off before they threw the game away, conceding twice in the final five minutes to lose, 2-1.

It was almost even better for Liverpool, as Chelsea needed a late goal to beat Wolves, 2-1, having lost 3-1 at home to Aston Villa just days earlier.

What it all means for Liverpool is that a win at the Etihad Stadium will see the Reds overtake Arsenal into fifth place and go level on points—but with an inferior goal difference, save for a six-goal drubbing of City—with Chelsea, who, at the moment, retain the last Champions League place.

It represents a wonderful chance for Liverpool to really ignite their season ahead of another double-bill against Manchester City, who they face in a two-legged League Cup semi final later this month.

A win will not be easily achieved, however.

City are not only unbeaten at home this season in the league, they have actually won all nine fixtures, scoring 28 goals and conceding just four in the process.

Considering Liverpool's profligacy for much of the season, that they can go joint-fourth at the turn of the year will give the side a massive boost and offers tangible evidence that the club has continued to progress since even the end of last season.

The football on show has been markedly improved for the majority of games this season, but the results have not always shown that. Even though the squad is not yet shaped exactly as Kenny Dalglish would want it, there is a growing sense that it is strong enough to mount a good attack on claiming fourth place ahead of the two London sides.

The January transfer window might be crucial for many sides, not just Liverpool, but the feeling is that with perhaps even just one crucial addition—namely somebody to put the ball in the net—Liverpool could not only challenge for fourth, but go on and take it by brute force.

Chelsea are yet to find any real consistency under their new leadership and have had something of a crisis in lack of form from their supposed top players, while Arsenal, after a dreadful start, have had a magnificent run over the past few months in the Premier League. Admirable, but it has to give some time, and given the incredible lack of defenders at boss Arsene Wenger's disposal at present, it may be sooner rather than later.

Some might point to the frustration that Liverpool could have even gone third with victory at the Etihad had the victories against the aforementioned Wigan and Blackburn been attained; true, but it misses the point that these similar recent defeats suffered by Chelsea and Arsenal, against opposition they would generally expect to beat, have given the Reds the opportunity to stay in the hunt.

The return from suspension of Luis Suarez for Liverpool will give Manchester City's defenders plenty to think about after the Uruguayan terrorised them at Anfield this season, while Andy Carroll may be given another chance to get back his form after an improved showing last time around.

Steven Gerrard is getting closer to a recall to the first 11. It may even come in this game since he could afford to be rested for the FA Cup tie at the weekend.

Liverpool have plenty in their armoury, which could trouble City, though the same could obviously be said in reverse.

One thing is for sure, though. Liverpool are desperate to get themselves back into the elite European competition, and victory at the Etihad would go quite some way towards showing the rest of the Premier League that they are capable of doing so, as well as showing any potential January transfer targets that the Reds are on the up.