By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) – Much of the focus in the early weeks of the Premier League season has been on the opening salvos in another title battle between Manchester City and Arsenal.
So much so that Arne Slot’s Liverpool have moved to the top of the standings almost under the radar.
With five wins from six matches, 12 goals scored and only two conceded, Liverpool lead champions City and Arsenal by one point and have the chance to bolster their advantage when they travel to struggling Crystal Palace in Saturday’s early game.
Victory would give them a four-point lead, albeit probably only until Arsenal host 19th-placed Southampton later and Manchester City host Fulham.
Liverpool’s opening fixtures have admittedly been kind with wins against Ipswich Town, Brentford, Manchester United, Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers and they did suffer a surprise home reverse against Nottingham Forest.
Far tougher tests are to come after the international break in the shape of Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Hove Albion and Aston Villa before a home clash with City at the start of December. But there is a mood of confidence sweeping Anfield, although Slot is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
“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 am hoping to do more special things than winning eight out of nine games!” Slot said after Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Bologna in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“But it says a lot about many things, it also says a lot about how Juergen left this club, the squad I inherited, how much work-rate the players put in and how much my staff members are helping me to get these results.”
After Liverpool face winless Palace, a buoyant Arsenal host Southampton, another of the five clubs still without a league victory this season. Mikel Arteta’s side comfortably disposed of Paris St Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday and forward Bukayo Saka summed up the mood.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on us, but I do think that this is the year,” Saka said on Tuesday.
Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday once again turned the spotlight on manager Erik ten Hag with the club languishing in 13th spot.
Things do not get any easier for the Dutchman either with Sunday’s trip to fifth-placed Aston Villa whose confidence will be sky high after Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Bayern Munich.
Fourth-placed Chelsea will hope to continue their resurgence under new manager Enzo Maresca as they host Forest on Sunday when Tottenham go to Brighton.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)
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