Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has warned his team they might have to win every game to overcome Manchester City in this season's Premier League title race.
The Merseyside club are currently five points clear of City and Arsenal – who Liverpool take on at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
With City not playing until they visit Brentford in the capital on Monday, the Reds can pull eight points clear of their title rivals, although Pep Guardiola's side will have two games in hand.
Liverpool know only too well how City often gain momentum in the run-in – they won their last 14 games in 2018-19 to pip their north-west rivals by a point and dropped just six points in the final 12 matches of 2021-22 to again win the title by a single point.
And last season, City went on a 25-match unbeaten run to overtake Arsenal and seal their third title in a row.
Liverpool and City are hitting form at the moment with both sides having won their last four matches, but Klopp knows there is no margin for error from the Reds.
“Shall I go to the boys in the dressing room and say, 'If we win against Arsenal we are eight points between us and them…'? Everybody knows that,” said the German, whose team have lost just once in the league.
“If we lose we are still two points ahead [if City win their game in hand as it stands], but then City are the big winner of a game they are not even involved in.
“That's outside talk and fine. Inside, we just focus on the things we have to do.
Liverpool 4 Chelsea 1: Player ratings
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LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Will have busier first-halves when Chelsea had one attempt on goal and failed to win a single corner. More to do after break but no chance with Nkunku goal. AFP -
Sensational performance. Spraying passes over the away defence in Alexander-Arnold fashion, providing two fine assists and scoring an excellent first goal for club. PA -
Could have conceded early penalty for clumsy challenge on Gallagher. Nice control and ball into box to Jota ahead of attacker winning penalty. Beaten by Nkunku’s quick feat ahead of Chelsea’s substitute’s goal. Getty Images -
One of the Premier League's form defenders but hardly troubled by Chelsea’s woeful attacking efforts until second half triple substitution finally brought the London club to life. PA -
Has excelled as emergency left-back and did not put foot wrong here at Anfield, although he has first-choice Andrew Robertson on the bench and closing in on full fitness. Getty Images -
Looked like he was poised to take first-half penalty only for Nunez to take the ball and miss. World Cup-winner was strong in the tackle and pinged some lovely passes around, including one in run-up to Diaz’s goal. Reuters -
Almost put side 2-0 up but his nice low strike was saved well by Petrovic. Like Bradley, his performances suggest the future looks bright for whoever takes over as manager from Jurgen Klopp. Getty Images -
Glided through game showing off some lovely first touches and his distribution was faultless. Great header from Bradley cross put Liverpool 3-0 up. EPA -
Picked out Bradley with nice pass for young right-back’s unforgettable first goal for club. Drilled shot straight at keeper from tight angle at start of second half but did find net from close range with 11 minutes left. PA -
Bulldozed his way through the Chelsea defence, enjoying a slice of luck along the way, before firing Liverpool into the lead with 13th goal of season. Earned side penalty when taken down by Badiashile only for Nunez to miss from spot. Getty Images -
Five shots in opening 20 minutes, with two of them requiring good stops from Petrovic. Struck post with penalty just before half-time, hit bar with header after break when should have scored - the fourth time he hit woodwork. Great cross to Diaz for fourth goal. AP -
SUBS: (On for Bradley 69’) Such has been the form of the man he replaced, the England full-back has not been missed by the Reds while out injured. AFP -
(On for Jota 69’) Dutchman fired one shot wide of target from edge of area. AP -
(On for Szoboszlai 69’) Hit shot from distance straight at keeper. AFP -
(On for Gomez 69’) Scottish left-back given much-needed game time after injury-hit campaign. Reuters -
(On for Jones 82’) PA -
CHELSEA RATINGS: Unlike his Liverpool counterpart, relentlesssly under pressure as the home side registered 28 attempts on goal with 13 on target. Made numerous good stops and no chance with any of goals in what was dreadful defensive – and attacking, to be fair – Chelsea performance. EPA -
Fourth Chelsea booking in first half which saw away side lose all composure and defensively were all over the place for pretty much the entire 90 minutes. PA -
Should have been stronger with his challenge on Jota ahead of Liverpool opener. Stood on same player’s ankle leading to penalty on edge of half-time that was missed by Nunez. Moved to left-back in second half, skinned by Bradley ahead of third goal and allowed Diaz in for fourth. Getty Images -
Like his defensive partner, will be disappointed with weak tackle attempt on Jota for Portuguese’s goal. Another Blues player guilty of giving ball away cheaply in disastrous opening 45 minutes. The veteran must think about packing it in after a team performance like this. AFP -
Miserable game for captain, gave the ball away far too easily, one of those times leading to Jota scoring, while also being booked for blatant dive looking for penalty. Hooked at break. AP -
Midfielder, who could have joined Liverpool in summer, picked up game’s first booking after 10 minutes for dissent. Gave ball away in run-up to Bradley’s goal. Substitution in second half met with ironic cheers by home fans. PA -
Chelsea’s other central midfielder was also booked in first half, the Argentine’s was for reckless sliding tackle on Jones. Like Caicedo, Enzo’s form is nowhere near justifying the huge sum forked out to bring him to the Stamford Bridge club. PA -
Saw appeals for early penalty after Van Dijk challenge ignored by referee and VAR. That was his biggest contribution as he was also hooked at half-time. Getty Images -
Like rest of Chelsea’s attackers, invisible in first half and one of three players taken off at break - but it could have been anyone in his side, bar the keeper. PA -
Former Liverpool man received his usual jeers from home fans from start to finish and was marked superbly by Bradley in miserable Anfield return. Getty Images -
Technically supposed to be leading the line until Nkunku's introduction but totally anonymous as attacking threat and you could be forgiven for forgetting he was playing at all. EPA -
SUBS: (On for Chilwell 46’) Brought on to try and shore up a defence that was leaking like a sieve but the holes remained and the final scoreline flattered Chelsea. PA -
(On for Gallagher 46’) Not the easiest game for the big-money summer signing, still building up his fitness after injury, to come on in but still produced great footwork and finish to pull score back to 3-1. Reuters -
(On for Madueke 46’) Had glorious chance to pull side back into game minutes after coming on but side-footed first-time shot high over crossbar. AP -
(On for Caicedo 66’) Young midfielder at least helped give Chelsea a little bit of attacking impetus. Getty Images Cesare Casadei : N/A (On for Palmer 85’)
“What we learnt over the years is if you want to be around City then you better win all your football games because they do. That's all.
“This is the time where City are dominating, that's how it is. They play incredible stuff and would probably consider themselves not playing their very best season but are where they are.
“We play a very good season and are in the moment ahead of City. We will try to make it as hard as somehow possible for everyone who wants to finish the season above us.
“That's the situation we are in. Arsenal, they beat us, they are definitely there. They don't beat us, ask other people. But there are so many games to come.”
While there is a doubt over striker Darwin Nunez, who has a foot injury, Liverpool are almost back to full strength fitness-wise with only Mohamed Salah (hamstring) and Wataru Endo (Asian Cup) still unavailable in the short-term.
Nunez set a Premier League record by hitting the woodwork four times during Wednesday's 4-1 win over Chelsea, but has been a key player in the Reds' rise to the top of the table with 11 goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season.
The Uruguayan would be a big miss for Klopp. “It was very painful after the game,” said the Liverpool manager. “[Darwin] left the stadium in a boot, and it was not a football boot. So nothing broken, X-ray clear. But swollen. We have to see if his foot can get back in a [football] boot, or not.”
Diogo Jota has also stepped up in Salah's absence with the Portuguese netting four times in his last four games to take his tally for the season to 13.
“He's a complete package,” added Klopp on Jota's form. “Can play all three positions up front which is special when Mohamed Salah is not here.
“That is how it is with strikers when you are doing well. You surf the wave and that's what he's doing. His goal against Chelsea was an unbelievable goal.”
