Liverpool manager Arne Slot describes Saturday's 3-1 comeback win over Southampton as "the first of three finals" as the Reds continue their pursuit of a remarkable season with three potential trophies still in sight.
Now sitting 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League, Liverpool's focus shifts to crucial upcoming fixtures: a Champions League last-16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, where they hold a 1-0 advantage, followed by the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley on Sunday.
While their dreams of matching Manchester United's and Manchester City's historic trebles were dashed by Plymouth in the FA Cup fourth round, the Reds remain firmly positioned for what could still be an extraordinary campaign.
"It's a sign of a good team that you can win in different ways," Slot told BBC Match of the Day following Saturday's victory. "It was a poor performance first half - not only because of the way we played but also because of the energy we brought."
The Dutch manager was more pointed in his post-match news conference: "This was the most important game of the week. The first of three finals. I hope in the next finals we play a bit better than the first one."
Liverpool had to overcome an early setback when a mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson allowed Will Smallbone to give the Premier League's bottom side a half-time lead. The Reds rallied in the second half, with Mohamed Salah converting two penalties and Darwin Nunez adding another goal to secure the comeback.
Salah, who has notched 32 goals in all competitions this season, was candid about the performance: "I don't think we played good today." The Egyptian star has been involved in 44 Premier League goals this season (27 goals, 17 assists), matching the record for most goal involvements by a player in a 38-game season.
"If you want to win the Champions League or Premier League you have to win these games like that," Salah added.
Looking ahead to Tuesday's Champions League clash, Slot joked about his team's first-half performance: "The only good thing in the first 45 minutes was that they saved their energy [for PSG] and didn't run at all. It was maybe the first time this season I saw this tempo."
He emphasized the need for significant improvement: "We have to go one step up in terms of intensity against PSG. Compared to the game today we have to go three, four, five, six, seven times up in terms of intensity if we want to have any chance of reaching the next round."
Harvey Elliott, who came on as a half-time substitute against Southampton and scored the winner in Paris, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The last two games have been very tough - it is not about me, it's about the whole team. We need to keep winning games - it's as simple as that. It's about taking it game by game and making sure we apply ourselves in the best possible way."
If Liverpool manage to secure all three trophies this season, they would join a select group of English teams to achieve such a feat. Only five English teams have won three regular trophies in a season before, with Manchester United in 1998-99 and Manchester City in 2022-23 completing the recognized Treble of European Cup, league title, and FA Cup.
Liverpool themselves have won three trophies in a season twice before. In 1983-84, they claimed the First Division title, League Cup, and European Cup – the exact combination they're pursuing this season. Interestingly, they also lost to a second-tier club in the FA Cup fourth round that season. The Reds also secured a cup treble in 2000-01, winning the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup.
Statistically, Liverpool's chances of trophy success look promising. Opta gives them a 98.9% probability of winning the Premier League, with 18 points from a possible 27 needed to guarantee the title. They're also favorites for both the Champions League (26% probability according to Opta) and are overwhelming favorites against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
Despite his team's commanding league position, Slot remains cautious: "It's 16 [points] for now but that can be down to seven by the time we play Everton in a few weeks." Arsenal have three league games before Liverpool's next Premier League match against Everton on April 2.
As Liverpool enters this critical phase of the season, the question remains whether Slot can match or even surpass predecessor Jürgen Klopp's achievements by securing multiple trophies in his debut season at Anfield.
