The Reds maintained their Premier League title hopes yesterday with a 2-0 win away at Cardiff thanks to Gini Wijnaldum’s strike and a James Milner penalty.
That puts Liverpool two points clear of Manchester City with three games left of the season, though the reigning champions have a game in hand against Manchester United on Wednesday night (8pm) which will take them back ahead of the Merseyside outfit if they win at Old Trafford.
City know that they will win the league if they win all four of their remaining games, having already embarked on a 10-game winning streak since the turn of the year.
Added to Liverpool’s quest for a first title triumph since 1990, Jurgen Klopp’s charges also secured their spot in the Champions League semi finals for the second straight season last week.
A 4-1 victory away at Porto, added to a 2-0 win at home in the first leg, secured a glamorous two-legged showdown with La Liga giants Barcelona.
The first leg of that final-four tie will come before Liverpool’s trip to Newcastle on Saturday May 4 (7.45pm) with the return contest at Anfield the following Tuesday, which precedes the final day of the league season when they host Wolves.
The potential magnitude of those European clashes, as Liverpool desperately seek silverware for the first time since 2012, could well have ramifications on their hopes of lifting the league title with rivals City having crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Tottenham in the last eight.
And Neville suspects Klopp could opt to make the risky decision of naming a second-strength line-up in Spain in the first leg if City trip against either United or Burnley in their next two league outings and give Liverpool the chance to determine their own destiny.
The ex-United defender told the Gary Neville Podcast: “I’ve said all season I thought Liverpool would need to sacrifice something to win the league.
“I just feel that if City do drop points against Burnley or Manchester United, and I think Liverpool will beat Huddersfield, Jurgen Klopp has a big decision to make in that game against Newcastle on that Saturday night.
“The build-up to that, they’ve got Barcelona away on the Wednesday evening. If Liverpool need to win against Newcastle and Wolves to win the league, does he take a chance and rest players at the Nou Camp knowing he still has a second chance in that game the Tuesday after at home?
“He’ll also have his fresh team ready against Newcastle. I think he does, if City drop points.
“If City don’t drop points against United or Burnley, he obviously plays his full team. At that point then, you wouldn’t think City would drop points in their last two games against Leicester and Brighton.
“But if City do drop points this week, I think Klopp will take a chance in the Nou Camp against Barcelona and try to come out of there alive so he can win the game with his best team at Newcastle and the second leg against Barcelona at Anfield.
“Three games in six days when you’re going for the semi final of the Champions League and the first Premier League title in 29 years is a tough ask for the same eleven.”