The Reds already have a trophy in the bag, after the Carabao Cup success over the Magpies at Wembley, and continue to compete in the Emirates FA Cup and Europa League.

The race is also on to finish in the top four, in order to clinch a place in next term's Champions League, with the clash at St. James' Park a crucial one in that regard.

Newcastle know that victory would move them above United in the table, on goal difference, and if Tottenham pick up at least a point Everton on the Monday night, the north Londoners would also head into the top four, if Eddie Howe's side do avenge the cup final defeat.

So the stakes are high for the Reds and the first of the four midweek outings swiftly follows, with the rearranged home clash against Brentford on 5 April. The match with the impressive Bees is not live on TV in the UK and it will be a challenge to defeat a team level on points with Liverpool, in eighth place. Old Trafford is also the stage for the visit of Everton in an early Saturday kick-off, with Sean Dyche managing to turn the Toffees' fortunes around.

Our European campaign resumes with the home tie against serial Europa League winners Sevilla, ahead of a trip to Nottingham Forest, the scene of our Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg win, with the 3-0 victory a particularly polished performance.

As the month rolls on, the second leg in Spain against Sevilla forms part of an arduous week that is followed, only a couple of days later, by the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Brighton & Hove Albion provide the opposition with the match details still to be confirmed but likely to take place on the Sunday.

Whatever happens in the capital, we'll be back in London on the final Thursday of April, tackling Tottenham in another huge fixture in the battle for a top-four spot. This is a later start, at 20:15 GMT, with live coverage on BT Sport.

And the last of the nine key encounters is back at home, when Aston Villa head north for a game again not selected for live TV broadcast in the UK. Like Brentford, they are one of the teams to have beaten us in the corresponding fixture, so hopefully this will present the perfect opportunity to put things right and maintain our march in the top flight.

APRIL'S FIXTURES

Sun 2: Newcastle (A) 16:30
Wed 5: Brentford (H) 20:00
Sat 8: Everton (H) 12:30
Thu 13: Sevilla (H) 20:00
Sun 16: Nott'm Forest (A) 16:30
Thu 20: Sevilla (A) 20:00
TBC: Brighton (N)
Thu 27: Tottenham (A) 20:15
Sun 30: Aston Villa (H) 14:00

(All times BST)