Liverpool urged to keep Premier League focus ahead of busy schedule

Liverpool start a daunting run of 13 games in 41 days at Crystal Palace on Saturday that will define ir season and, quite possibly, how Jurgen Klopp era will be remembered at Anfield. spectacular, and controversial, 3-1 victory over defending champions Manchester City before international break has left Liverpool nine points clear of Pep Guardiola's side.

y hold an eight-point edge over second-placed Leicester and are heavy favourites to end a painful 30-year wait for a league title.

visit to Selhurst Park also starts a sequence of five league games against opponents who appear, on paper at least, t to offer too stern a test for a team that have dropped just two league points all season -- in a 1-1 draw at Manchester United.

But it is Liverpool's schedule away from league that has caused greatest degree of interest and speculation in recent weeks.

ir involvement in FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar, plus ir success in League Cup, means Klopp has been forced to play two games within 24 hours of each or, over 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometres) apart.

Liverpool visit Aston Villa on December 17 in cup quarter-final before y play in Middle East on 18th, with Klopp fielding two different squads to cope with congestion.

Liverpool boss concedes that exact nature and logistics of putting out two teams on different continents within a matter of hours are yet to be addressed.

But a number of pundits, led by former Anfield favourite Jamie Carragher, have argued that Klopp should effectively igre four cup competitions in which his team are involved this season -- two domestic cups, Champions League and Club World Cup. 

obsession among red half of Merseyside with winning title increased with near-miss under Brendan Rodgers in 2014. And it reached near-fever pitch in May when y lost title to City by one point.

t even considerable consolation of winning Champions League in June could dull desire from Liverpool supporters to see ir team lift a trophy y last won under Kenny Dalglish in 1990.

"I kw a lot of Liverpool supporters wouldn't say this, and certainly club couldn't, but thing can get in way of Liverpool winning league. thing," said Carragher.

" Aston Villa game in Carabao (League) Cup? If Liverpool get through y will have two semi-finals to play n and that cant get in way of Liverpool winning league."

difficulties facing Liverpool are summed up by a run of at least two games per week for remainder of 2019 including Champions League group matches against Napoli and Salzburg before double header at Villa and in Qatar.

But a run of league fixtures against Palace, Brighton, struggling Everton at home, Bournemouth and Watford suggests Klopp's side could maintain ir dominant grip on title race prior to visiting former manr Rodgers and current second-placed side Leicester on December 26.

Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson are considered doubts for trip to Palace, with injuries y collected earlier this month.

But Joe Gomez and Jordan Henderson, who both pulled out of England's game in Kosovo last weekend, are expected to be fit to return.