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The second international break of the season is here, and Liverpool enter it in some mixed form, with plenty of positives and negatives to take from the latest round of fixtures.
After a bruising week that saw the Reds lose to Arsenal and Fenerbahce, Andoni Iraola's side responded with a 3-1 triumph at Crystal Palace, which got them back on track. It leaves the team sitting fourth in the Premier League, with hopes of looking up the table, rather than anxiously peering behind them.
The two-week break will give the Merseyside outfit plenty of time to analyze the start so far, with where has gone well and where could be improved, ahead of an important run of fixtures leading into the busy festive soccer calendar.
So, with that said, here's a look at how Liverpool's next five fixtures in the Premier League compare to the other teams hunting a top-five finish.
Liverpool's next five Premier League fixtures look tough, not based necessarily on the league position of those teams, but in terms of what the matches represent. Returning from the break, there are back-to-back clashes with rivals, as Manchester United and Everton await.
Starting with Man United, the side sits 18th in the league after a dismal start to the campaign so far. Michael Carrick's position as head coach is in serious doubt, but there are signs of life after a comeback win against AS Roma and a chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa that could keep him on for the type of game that throws form out of the window.
Everton then follow in the Merseyside derby, with an away trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium that could cause a few problems. The Toffees sit sixth in the table heading into the international break, with back-to-back wins being a cause for optimism on the blue half of Merseyside.
Sunderland make the trip to Anfield shortly after, with the Black Cats having struggled so far, but still hopeful of bouncing back after the break. Chelsea will be the next clash after that, with the Blues in some indifferent form in the division after a positive start under Andoni Iraola.
The run of five fixtures then comes to a close against Leeds, who have also been in some mixed form so far, ahead of a busy run in December that follows. It sets up Liverpool for some difficult encounters, where maximum points could suddenly push the Reds right up to the top.
Champions Arsenal appear to be running away at the top of the Premier League, with nine points currently separating the side from Liverpool in fourth. Tough clashes await, however.
Newcastle away followed by Manchester City is not an easy combination for any team to deal with, while a North London Derby against Tottenham is between facing off with well-coached sides such as Brentford and Bournemouth. A poor run here could open up the title race, while a clean sweep may surely end any talk of a challenge at the top.
It has been quite the impressive start for Brighton in the Premier League this season, with the side sitting second in the division, but still with a five-point gap to Arsenal in first.
The next run of games could be kind to the Seagulls, with clashes against Hull, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, and Everton offering a chance to pick up maximum points. However, the Premier League never makes things as simple as that, with all of those sides more than capable of being competitive.
Manchester City has been on a tough run of form as of late, having lost all of the last three matches in the Premier League to leave the side sitting third in the division, despite looking like the main title challengers last month.
The run of fixtures doesn't get any easier, however, with clashes against Arsenal and Chelsea coming up, around games against Fulham, Leeds and Brentford. They are the kind of games that could get Enzo Maresca's side firmly back in the hunt, but it could also see them fall off the pace even further.
Chelsea enters the international break in fifth with 16 points from the opening ten games of the season. The Blues had made a positive start, but some recent dips in form have been costly, including defeat to Sunderland in the most recent clash.
Xabi Alonso could face some scrutiny unless Chelsea finds an uptick of form soon. Clashes with Leeds, Nottingham Forest, and Crystal Palace could offer that chance to pick up points, before tough matches with Liverpool and Manchester City back-to-back round off the coming run.
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