The final stretch of the Premier League season is here, and for Liverpool fans, the pain of watching their beloved club stumble through this campaign is almost over. Friday night sees Arne Slot's side travel to Villa Park to face Aston Villa in what promises to be a crucial clash for Champions League qualification.
Let's be honest—this has been a season full of frustration. Liverpool have looked tired, tactically confused, and far from the dominant force we've come to expect. Yet, barring an absolute miracle of misfortune, the Reds will likely scrape into the top five and secure Champions League football for next season. It's the kind of "success" that leaves nobody truly happy, but meets the bare minimum requirements to run it all back again in 2026-27.
Trust the process, believe in the project—just try to ignore what your eyes have been telling you for the past 18 months. That's the mantra as we head into the penultimate match of the 2025-26 season.
Standing in Liverpool's way are Aston Villa, currently sitting fifth and level on points with the Reds. Both teams are near-certainties to qualify for Europe's elite competition, which is good news for Unai Emery's side. With just two games remaining, Bournemouth trail by four points in sixth, while Brighton are six points back in seventh. The math is simple: win, and you're almost certainly in.
Liverpool's path is straightforward—beat Villa, then take care of Brentford on the final day. Villa, meanwhile, face Liverpool followed by Manchester City. Bournemouth have City and Nottingham Forest, while Brighton take on Leeds and Manchester United. Goal difference could come into play, but given City's remaining fixtures, it's hard to see any realistic scenario where Liverpool don't finish in the top five.
Expected lineup: Mamardashvili; Jones, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Frimpong, Isak, Gakpo
Injury news: Both Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker are close to returning, but Friday's match likely comes too soon for either. Slot has hinted that Salah might be available for a brief cameo off the bench if the game situation allows. Florian Wirtz has been battling illness and on a heavy course of antibiotics this week—he might be fit enough for the squad, but match fitness is a concern, and he'll likely start on the bench if he makes the cut at all.
The big question: will Slot stick with his struggling tactics, or will we see a shake-up as the season reaches its dramatic conclusion? One thing's for sure—this match will tell us everything about where this Liverpool side truly stands heading into the summer.