Liverpool news: Title race reaction, impressive pre-tax profits and Alisson's Bournemouth preview

Our round-up of Liverpool news and analysis ahead of this weekend's match against Bournemouth

Liverpool have fallen from the top of the Premier League for the first time in almost two months and, with one third of the season, we have a genuine title race on our hands.

Manchester City’s 2-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park saw Pep Guardiola’s side move back into the lead for the first time since 15 December – although Liverpool will leapfrog them if they win their game in hand against Bournemouth tomorrow.

Liverpool are enjoying their finest ever Premier League campaign but have stuttered slightly in recent weeks, drawing their last two league matches.

They need to return to winning ways against Bournemouth tomorrow, before the return of the Champions League pits them in action against Bayern Munich.

Here’s a round-up of the club’s week ahead of a potentially decisive game in their season.

Liverpool’s remaining fixtures

Why Liverpool should not worry about lead narrowing

Premier League champions are not made by avoiding patches of poor form in the second half of the season, but how they bounce back to answer their critics when these runs inevitably arise, wrote Simon Hughes today.

Liverpool's lead has been wiped out, for now

In the search for reassurance or warning after a week where a potential seven-point gap will reduce to three – should Liverpool win their game in hand against Bournemouth on Saturday – an article such as this one might lead in on a haunting story from a year when it nearly went their way only for something to happen which neatly illustrated a flaw that lay hidden.

Squad depth, it could be argued, might prove to be that flaw – perhaps as it may have done in 2014 – because the team which put Liverpool top has not been the one trying to keep it there over the last few weeks.

The calculated gamble in allowing Nathaniel Clyne to leave on loan has narrowed Jurgen Klopp’s options, not just in the position of right back but midfield as well, since James Milner and Jordan Henderson have been required to function in roles that do not suit them best and without either of their presence elsewhere, Liverpool have missed thrust at certain moments and perhaps a touch of organisation.

Read the full article here.

Financial boost for the club

In better news for the Reds, Liverpool have posted record-breaking financial figures for last year with a £125 million profit before tax.

The Reds are in the money (Getty) (Getty Images)

The Reds have prospered despite splashing out £190m on players, topping the previous record by Leicester (£92.5m before tax) after their title win and Champions League run.

The trend will be highly pleasing for John W Henry and co., with the figures ending on May 2018 showing a rise of £85m on the previous year. Though that season there was no European football, emphasising the need to make the top four at least.

Read the full article here.

Alisson keeping his cool

Liverpool are under no additional pressure to claim their first league title in 29 years despite a recent blip that has allowed Premier League champions Manchester City to reclaim top spot.

The keeper isn't worried (Reuters) (REUTERS)

Frustrating 1-1 draws in their last two league games against Leicester and West Ham have left Liverpool a spot behind City on goal difference, although Pep Guardiola's side have played an extra game.

"Our pressure is the same. We take things game by game without worrying about what our opponents are doing," Alisson said ahead of Saturday's league clash against 10th-placed Bournemouth.

The 26-year-old said that Liverpool, who were nine points ahead of City at one stage in December, were not short of belief going into the home stretch of the season.

"We've shown in the past that we're good enough and we'll continue to show this in the games we've got to come," he added.

Read the full article here.