Saturday, 23 November, 2024
In the early weeks of the Premier League season, much of the attention has been drawn to the intense title race unfolding between Manchester City and Arsenal.
Amid this focus, Arne Slot's Liverpool has quietly ascended to the top of the standings, almost flying under the radar.
With five victories from six matches, having scored 12 goals and conceded only two, Liverpool currently leads reigning champions City and Arsenal by a single point. They have an opportunity to extend their advantage when they visit struggling Crystal Palace for Saturday's early kickoff.
A victory would grant Liverpool a four-point lead, though this advantage might be temporary, as Arsenal is set to host 19th-placed Southampton later, and Manchester City will face Fulham.
Liverpool’s initial fixtures have been relatively favorable, securing wins against Ipswich Town, Brentford, Manchester United, Bournemouth, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, although they did experience a surprising home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
However, more challenging tests await after the international break, with upcoming matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Aston Villa, culminating in a home clash with City at the beginning of December. Despite the growing confidence at Anfield, Slot remains grounded and focused.
"Everybody is realistic enough to know that six games into the season doesn't give you a realistic view of the league table," the Dutch coach, the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his first nine games in charge, said.
"It's more at 19 games when you feel where you are. But of course, good results help, especially after bringing in a new manager and a new staff. If we had lost four or five of the first six then life would have been different to how it is now."
The transition from the Juergen Klopp to the Slot era has looked seamless, although with such an experienced and high-quality squad at his disposal, it was perhaps to be expected.
“I aim to achieve more special milestones than simply winning eight out of nine games!” Slot remarked following Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Bologna in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“This speaks volumes about various factors, including how Juergen left the club, the squad I inherited, the tremendous work ethic of the players, and the invaluable support my staff provides in achieving these results.”
After Liverpool faces a winless Crystal Palace, a confident Arsenal will host Southampton, another team still seeking their first league victory this season. Mikel Arteta's side convincingly defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, with forward Bukayo Saka encapsulating the team's optimism.
“I don't want to place too much pressure on us, but I truly believe that this could be our year,” Saka expressed on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Manchester United's 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday has once again put the spotlight on manager Erik ten Hag, as the club currently sits in 13th place.
The challenges won’t ease for the Dutchman, with Sunday’s trip to fifth-placed Aston Villa, whose confidence is soaring after their 1-0 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Fourth-placed Chelsea will aim to extend their resurgence under new manager Enzo Maresca as they host Nottingham Forest on Sunday, while Tottenham travels to Brighton.
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In the early weeks of the Premier League season, much of the attention has been drawn to the intense title race unfolding between Manchester City and Arsenal.
Amid this focus, Arne Slot's Liverpool has quietly ascended to the top of the standings, almost flying under the radar.
With five victories from six matches, having scored 12 goals and conceded only two, Liverpool currently leads reigning champions City and Arsenal by a single point. They have an opportunity to extend their advantage when they visit struggling Crystal Palace for Saturday's early kickoff.
A victory would grant Liverpool a four-point lead, though this advantage might be temporary, as Arsenal is set to host 19th-placed Southampton later, and Manchester City will face Fulham.
Liverpool’s initial fixtures have been relatively favorable, securing wins against Ipswich Town, Brentford, Manchester United, Bournemouth, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, although they did experience a surprising home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
However, more challenging tests await after the international break, with upcoming matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Aston Villa, culminating in a home clash with City at the beginning of December. Despite the growing confidence at Anfield, Slot remains grounded and focused.
"Everybody is realistic enough to know that six games into the season doesn't give you a realistic view of the league table," the Dutch coach, the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his first nine games in charge, said.
"It's more at 19 games when you feel where you are. But of course, good results help, especially after bringing in a new manager and a new staff. If we had lost four or five of the first six then life would have been different to how it is now."
The transition from the Juergen Klopp to the Slot era has looked seamless, although with such an experienced and high-quality squad at his disposal, it was perhaps to be expected.
“I aim to achieve more special milestones than simply winning eight out of nine games!” Slot remarked following Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Bologna in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“This speaks volumes about various factors, including how Juergen left the club, the squad I inherited, the tremendous work ethic of the players, and the invaluable support my staff provides in achieving these results.”
After Liverpool faces a winless Crystal Palace, a confident Arsenal will host Southampton, another team still seeking their first league victory this season. Mikel Arteta's side convincingly defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, with forward Bukayo Saka encapsulating the team's optimism.
“I don't want to place too much pressure on us, but I truly believe that this could be our year,” Saka expressed on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Manchester United's 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday has once again put the spotlight on manager Erik ten Hag, as the club currently sits in 13th place.
The challenges won’t ease for the Dutchman, with Sunday’s trip to fifth-placed Aston Villa, whose confidence is soaring after their 1-0 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Fourth-placed Chelsea will aim to extend their resurgence under new manager Enzo Maresca as they host Nottingham Forest on Sunday, while Tottenham travels to Brighton.
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