WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - Monday, March 15, 2021: Liverpool's Diogo Jota (R) celebrates with team-mate Sadio Mané after scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Liverpool FC at Molineux Stadium. (Pic by Propaganda)

6 games in 21 days & a European semi-final? – Liverpool FC’s key dates in April

After close to a three-week break, Liverpool are straight back into action in a defining month for their Champions League and top-four hopes.

March proved to be another mixed month for the Reds with Anfield tasting two more defeats before back-to-back wins on the road ensured it ended on a high.

And with players now having returned from international duty, it is all guns blazing for a relentless schedule of six games in 21 days.

A seventh could be added, however, should Jurgen Klopp‘s men overcome Real Madrid and set themselves up with a Champions League semi-final tie.

Here are Liverpool’s key dates for the diary in April.

 

April 3 – Arsenal (A)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, September 28, 2020: Liverpool’s Fabio Henrique Tavares 'Fabinho' (L) challenges Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC at Anfield. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. (Pic by Propaganda)

The month kicks off with a trip to the capital, with Arsenal the opposition for the fourth time this season.

The Gunners have two penalty shootout wins to their name (Community Shield and League Cup), while Liverpool won the reverse league fixture back in September.

It hasn’t been a campaign to remember for Mikel Arteta’s men, who currently sit ninth in the table, but they have consolidated of late with one defeat in their last seven.

 

April 6 – Real Madrid (A)

2CPD2PP Soccer Football - Champions League Final - Real Madrid v Liverpool - NSC Olympic Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine - May 26, 2018 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah injures his shoulder in a challenge with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

A trip to Spain then awaits for the first leg of the quarter-final tie, with this the first meeting between the two teams since the final in Kyiv back in 2018.

It poses as a narrative-driven clash and one where the Reds can lay to rest their previous defeat and stamp authority on both the tie and competition.

The clash is to be played at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, with the Bernabeu under redevelopment.

 

April 10 – Aston Villa (H)

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - Sunday, October 4, 2020: Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino (L) challenges Aston Villa's captain Jack Grealish during the FA Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Liverpool FC at Villa Park. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. Aston Villa won 7-2. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

An early midweek game will allow for a four-day break for Klopp’s men prior to welcoming Villa to Anfield.

It is a clash that doesn’t exactly trigger positive memories with the last league meeting ending in a humiliating 7-2 defeat.

This matchup also presents the first opportunity to snap a six-game losing streak at Anfield.

 

April 14 – Real Madrid (H)

KIEV, UKRAINE - Saturday, May 26, 2018: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp embraces Real Madrid's head coach Zinédine Zidane before the UEFA Champions League Final match between Real Madrid CF and Liverpool FC at the NSC Olimpiyskiy. (Pic by Peter Powell/Propaganda)

The Reds will then remain on Merseyside as they host Real Madrid on home soil for the first time since 2014 – although we’d much prefer a result similar to 2009.

This could prove a season-defining match for Klopp’s men and victory in the tie would set up a semi-final against either Chelsea or Porto.

 

April 19 – Leeds (A)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2020: Leeds United's Jack Harrison celebrates after scoring the first equalising goal to level the score at 1-1 during the opening FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United FC at Anfield. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Monday night football then awaits with a trip to Elland Road to meet an exciting Leeds outfit, who at the time of writing, have seen only five teams outscore them in the league.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side will be pushing for a top-half finish and we can expect an exciting 90 minutes if the season-opener was anything to go by.

The hopes will be that Jordan Henderson will be nearing his return at this time with this being eight weeks post-injury, but he is unlikely to be rushed.

 

April 24 – Newcastle (H)

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 30, 2020: Liverpool’s Sadio Mané sees his shot saved by Newcastle United's goalkeeper Karl Darlow and cleared by Newcastle United's Fabian Schär during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Top-flight action for the month will then end with an early Saturday kickoff against the Magpies, who could then find themselves in the relegation zone.

Steve Bruce has led Newcastle to a precarious position having won just seven of their first 29 games – with calls for his sacking growing by the day.

It poses as a winnable fixture and with other members of the top four coming to blows in April, Liverpool have to be ready to take advantage unlike their stalemate late last year.

 

April 27/28 – Champions League semi-final

LISBON, PORTUGAL - Sunday, August 23, 2020: The European Cup trophy on display before the UEFA Champions League Final between FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain at the Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica. (Credit: ©UEFA)

This date, of course, can only be penned in should Liverpool emerge triumphant over Real Madrid in the last eight.

If so, Chelsea or Porto lay in wait and a matchup with the latter could force a move to a neutral venue dependent on travel restrictions at that time.


Liverpool Academy and Women’s Fixtures

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 27, 2021: Liverpool's Jake Cain (R) celebrates with team-mate captain Ben Woodburn (L) after scoring the third goal during the Premier League 2 Division 1 match between Liverpool FC Under-23's and Arsenal FC Under-23's at the Liverpool Academy. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

U23s

Brighton (H) – Premier League 2 – Sunday, Apr 4, 12pm
Man City (A) – Premier League 2 – Friday, Apr 9, 7pm
Blackburn (A) – Premier League 2 – Friday, Apr 16, 7pm
Tottenham (A) – Premier League 2 – Friday, Apr 23, 12pm

U18s

Man United (A) – FA Youth Cup – Saturday, Apr 3, 3pm
Wolves (H) – U18 Premier League – Tuesday, Apr 6, 1.30pm
Leeds (A) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, Apr 10, 11am
Burnley (H) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, Apr 17, 11am
Middlesbrough (H) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, Apr 24, 12.30pm

Women

Lewes (H) – Championship – Sunday, Apr 4, 12pm
Leicester (H) – FA Cup – Sunday, Apr 18, 2pm
Sheffield (H) – Championship – Sunday, Apr 25, 2pm