Liverpool vs. Arsenal: Can the Reds Still Achieve Fourth Place After Defeat?

Liverpool hosted Arsenal in this Saturday's early kick-off at Anfield in a six-pointer game for the chase for the lucrative fourth and final spot for Champions' League qualification. A Liverpool without Steven Gerrard, Lucas Leiva, Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson gives quite a toothless feel. However, they were anything but that.

All the Liverpool players pressed Arsenal with commendable levels of energy all throughout the match and did not let them settle into their crisp passing game. The Reds dominated the game, but Arsenal managed to carve out a mere two clear-cut chances that their "Flying Dutchman"—Robin Van Persie dispatched to give the Gunners an undeserved 2-1 win.

Even though Liverpool can take heart from their performance, it is the way they lost that will hurt them most. The manner of defeat is bound to take a lot out of the players and plant doubts as to whether they have it in them to still fight with the same vigor for achieving fourth place.

Even if one assumes that Liverpool have not thrown in the towel as yet, there are many factors still to be considered to avoid condemning them from the race for fourth as yet.

Let us first look at the run-ins of the potential four teams that may end up in fourth place come the end of the season.  

Arsenal—Newcastle (H), Everton (A), A Villa (H), QPR (A), Man City (H), Wolves (A), Wigan (H), Chelsea (H), Stoke (A), Norwich (H), West Brom (A).

Chelsea—Stoke (H), Man City (A), Tottenham (H), A Villa (A), Wigan (H), Fulham (A), Newcastle (H), Arsenal (A), QPR (H), Liverpool (A), Blackburn (H).

Liverpool—Sunderland (A), Everton (H), QPR (A), Wigan (H), Newcastle (A), A Villa (H), Blackburn (A), Fulham (H), West Brom (H), Norwich (A), Chelsea (H), Swansea (A).

Newcastle—Arsenal (A), Norwich (H), West Brom (A), Liverpool (H), Swansea (A), Bolton (H), Chelsea (A), Stoke (H), Wigan (A), Man City (H), Everton (A).

Before we talk about anything else, let us not overlook another decisive factor—goal difference. Had the Premier League taken head-to-head to separate teams when points are tied, Liverpool may have held an advantage over Arsenal at least. As that is not the case and with both Arsenal and Chelsea having substantial superiority in terms of goal difference on Liverpool and Newcastle, it essentially means that the latter two will have to score one more point than the former two.

The present situation of the table has Arsenal in fourth with 49 points from 27 games, Chelsea in fifth with 46 points from 27 games, Newcastle in sixth with 44 points from 27 games and Liverpool in seventh with 39 points from 26 games.

Liverpool are a good 10 points off the pace and actually 11 points off where they actually want to be if taking goal difference into account. There are only 11 games to play, 12 in Liverpool's case. Many might wonder as to why the Reds have been even given a chance here?

I agree. Liverpool should not be even considered here if the other teams are able to play to their abilities. Well, that is where the romance of this beautiful game sets in. It is not about footballing ability every time. 

Arsenal are on the up at the moment and are my favorites to bag the fourth spot. Having said that, it has not been very long since they have blown their title chances to dust within a matter of games when the end of the season beckons for some grit. Does anyone remember the five draws in five games to get them from keeping a lead in the title race to losing the top spot and increasing the deficit to the league leaders?

Another thing that Arsenal fans won't want is anything to happen to Robin Van Persie. The Dutchman has single-handedly carried the Gunners this season. If he gets injured, Arsenal will drop points. Furthermore, it will be interesting to see whether going out to Milan in the Champions' League will have a demoralizing effect on them or will it relieve them of the burden to concentrate on more than one front.

Chelsea lost to West Brom this weekend and sacked their boss, Andre Villas-Boas. This news in itself projects uncertainty to the club with an already aging squad. Add to that the fact that the Blues will be playing three very tough away games against Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City before the end of the season.

What may work to Chelsea's benefit would be the appointment of a new face, even if it is on an interim basis. Players often like to impress a new man in charge and want to keep their place in the side by doing that.

Roberto Di Matteo has been given the job as caretaker manager of Chelsea Football Club till the end of the season, but he is not a new face to the players. The players might share a similar relationship to him as they did to Villas-Boas.

Newcastle are a rejuvenated team this season and find themselves five points behind Arsenal and only two behind Chelsea. If Chelsea do not appoint someone soon, I back Newcastle to overtake them.

The problem for Newcastle though is their grueling fixture list. The Magpies face all three of their rivals for the fourth spot, two of them away from home as well. To add to that, they have the worst possible last two games against Man City at home and Everton away.

Everton might not provide a very stern test if they have nothing left to play for in the tie, but the fixture will be Everton's last on home soil for the season as well and they would want to give the fans something to cheer about.

If you are a betting person, Newcastle are a very good bet for fifth. I do not see them getting past the Gunners for fourth.

Liverpool might have won a trophy, but has that win just tapered over the many cracks still present in their game? The Reds should have won on Saturday and should be on 42 points, four points from fourth with a game in hand. As it stands, they are 10 points away from the Gunners with a game in hand.

During Rafa Benitez's time as manager, Liverpool used to come from behind time and time again in matches they were losing. This time that is the task that beckons them. If anyone is the man for the moment, it has to be Kenny Dalglish.

It is always better to have points on the board rather than games in hand. However, a game in hand also means that your rivals will start worrying if you start getting closer. One thing in Liverpool's favor is their game in hand. The second one is massive—the fixture list.

The Reds have the easiest fixture list out of the four teams considered here. The thing I am jittery about when I think of giving Liverpool a chance is consistency.

Liverpool have failed to put together a run of wins all season. They have only managed to put together a maximum run of two wins (thrice) all season. When we consider that, it is hard to see Liverpool winning four, five or even six on the bounce—something that will be inevitable if the Reds are to secure fourth spot.

My mind gives the Reds a two percent chance of achieving fourth now. Even my heart, which supports the Reds cause, gives them only a 10 percent chance. All this is going by the performance so far.

If Liverpool are to grab the final Champions' League, they have to raise their performances by a massive margin and not just by a notch or two. Things might still be in the Reds' hands given their favorable fixture list, but they will have to start putting a run of wins together starting at Sunderland next weekend.

Thanks for reading.