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Liverpool's reward after coming through an intense run of eight games in February is a relatively sedate sequence of just four games in March.

Defeat to Championship strugglers Plymouth in the fourth round of the FA Cup means the Liverpool players will enjoy an unexpected break this weekend, when the fifth-round ties will be played, and will also get another rest at the end of the month, when the FA Cup quarter-finals are scheduled.

The Reds only have one Premier League game next month - at home to basement club Southampton on Saturday, 8 March.

But there is plenty riding on their remaining three games.

Arne Slot's side are next in action at Paris St-Germain on Wednesday (5 March) in the opening leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, with the second leg to be played at Anfield on Tuesday, 11 March.

They then face Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final at Wembley on Sunday, 16 March, before the majority of players head off on international duty.

Liverpool return for a potential seven games in April, kicking off with the Merseyside derby at Anfield on 2 April.

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March may not have many games in store for Liverpool, but it could herald the first trophy of the Arne Slot era.

The Reds ended a busy February with yesterday's comfortable 2-0 victory over Newcastle at Anfield that put them 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

They will meet the Magpies again at Wembley for the EFL Cup final on 16 March.

Eddie Howe will be hoping star striker Alexander Isak will be fit to return after missing the defeat at Anfield as he bids to guide Newcastle to a first domestic trophy since 1955.

Sander Westerveld
Former Liverpool goalkeeper on Radio 5 Live

If you listen to all the players, they say 'we need to win the next game and that's the most important one. We don't get carried away, we don't read the press, we don't feel we're champions already' and that's, I think, very important and you could see that yesterday as well.

Nobody's there just taking his foot off the gas. They go full in every game and it's great to see and that's definitely down to the manager.

Chris Sutton would like a word, Mike.

Liverpool have won 19 top-flight titles and will equal Manchester United's record of 20, should they capitalise on their 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League this season.

Arne Slot's side could also set a new record for the biggest margin of victory in a Premier League season, should they be able to extend their lead by another seven points.

Manchester City finished 19 points clear of Manchester United in 2017-18 when they won the Premier League title with a record 100 points. The Reds can get a maximum of 97 points.

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Liverpool may look set to join Manchester United on 20 English top-flight titles, but they have a long way to go to equal their record in the Premier League era.

Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United won 13 Premier League titles, with their last coming in the 2012-13 season - the Scot's final year as manager at Old Trafford before his retirement.

Manchester City have since picked up the baton from their city rivals, winning the Premier League eight times in total, and in six of the past eight seasons under Pep Guardiola.

The Reds have just one top-flight title to their name since 1990, winning the Premier League just once, under Jurgen Klopp in 2020.

Premier League title winners:

• 13 - Manchester United
• 8 - Manchester City
• 5 - Chelsea
• 3 - Arsenal
• 1 - Blackburn, Leicester, Liverpool

Sander Westerveld
Former Liverpool goalkeeper on Radio 5 Live

If I speak to Arne Slot and text him, he's still talking about the next game and he says the most important game is the next game.

He's still not satisfied but he will never get carried away but I definitely think he's happy at the moment.

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Let's dive a bit deeper into Liverpool now; how have they got into this situation, where - barring a historic chain of events - they have the Premier League title sewn up in late February?

Everton fought back to hold Brentford to a draw and extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to seven matches.

Yoane Wissa's 13th goal of the season gave the hosts the lead just before the break but David Moyes' side rescued a point through a Jake O'Brien header in west London.

Everton only grew into the game gradually after Brentford's fast start but the Toffees did pass up two gilt-edged chances in the first half with Beto wasteful on both occasions.

The in-form striker failed to round Mark Flekken after going one-on-one in the 39th minute before the Brentford goalkeeper rushed off his line to deny him three minutes later.

Those misses proved costly for the visitors as Brentford went ahead deep into stoppage time when Kevin Schade's long throw was headed on to the crossbar by Bryan Mbeumo before Wissa nodded home the rebound from close range.

Flekken did well to keep out Jack Harrison's corner that almost crept in at his near post soon after the restart and Carlos Alcaraz then fired inches wide of the goal from the edge of the box.

Wissa had a second ruled out for offside before the visitors finally found a way through the Bees defence as O'Brien headed Vitalii Mykolenko's cross low past Flekken with 13 minutes remaining.

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Back in the Premier League, there is one game remaining from last night which we have not touched upon yet...

The statement from Liverpool expressing a desire to build momentum indicates disappointment that Matt Beard has not brought the same success to the Reds as he did in his first spell in charge.

During his first period at the Reds from 2012 to 2015, Beard won back-to-back Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014 and led Liverpool in their first Champions League campaign.

Last season they finished above Manchester United for the first time since returning to the WSL after promotion, but this campaign have fallen back off the pace of the European chasers including United.

Goals have also been an issue, with Liverpool scoring just 13 goals in 14 league games. In Beard's last match in charge, they missed several good early openings against Man City before being eventually blown away in a 4-0 loss.

It leaves Beard - one of the WSL's most experienced coaches with spells at Chelsea, West Ham and Bristol City on his CV - out of a job.

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Liverpool

Liverpool have released a statement confirming Matt Beard has left his role "with immediate effect".

The statement reads: "We have all experienced some fantastic moments with Matt as manager of LFC Women and we express our gratitude for his significant contribution. Our priority was to return this team to where it belongs and we collectively achieved that in 2022 by winning promotion to the WSL.

“We need to build on that momentum and although this has been a difficult decision, we believe it provides us with the best opportunity for future success on the pitch.”

Amber Whiteley shas been named interim manager with immediate effect.

Liverpool are seventh in the WSL, nine points above the relegation zone, after losing their most recent match 4-0 to Manchester City.

Beard returned to Liverpool for his second stint in charge in 2021, following their relegation to the Championship. He earned them promotion back to the WSL in his first season and guided them to fourth last year.

However they have failed to push on this season and are 15 points off the Champions League qualification spots.

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Liverpool

We have some breaking Liverpool news, but this time from the women's team where things are less rosy.

Liverpool women’s manager Matt Beard has been sacked, with the team seventh in the Women's Super League.

Aaron Lennon
Former Tottenham midfielder on Football Daily

I think Marmoush and Haaland will be the future of this City team. It is going to be a transition. I do think they will sign players again in the summer but I think those two will be a couple of the first names on the team sheet.

I think they’ll be looking for Marmoush to add more goals. De Bruyne was a lot more of the assists whereas I think Marmoush has a lot of goals in him. I have been really impressed with him, the way he’s come in. I think he’s a top, top player and I do feel he’ll get a lot of goals for City.

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

Erling Haaland scored on his return to action as Manchester City held on for victory against Tottenham Hotspur to improve their hopes of a top-four finish.

City started strongly and went ahead in the 12th minute when Haaland met Jeremy Doku's low cross with a first-time side-footed finish into the bottom corner, having been left unmarked.

After controlling the first half, the visitors faded after the break, with Ederson called into action to prevent Wilson Odobert's deflected effort from looping over him.

Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min came off the bench - both were surprisingly left out of the starting XI by Ange Postecoglou - and their involvement further shifted momentum, with Son denied an equaliser by Ederson following a fast break.

"The game, it was open second half because we didn't close the first. In this stadium always they have 20 to 25 minutes and second half we suffered," Guardiola later explained.

"Never will [we be] the old City this season. Old City were too good, but we will be back."

Victory moves City up to fourth in the table, while Spurs sit 13th.

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