Liverpool's life without Jurgen Klopp is still fine, even better than expected because since the beginning of the season, they have won 7/8 matches in all competitions. Liverpool does not have many devastating victories but has made very steady progress.
Last season, Man City took the lead after the first 6 rounds and eventually won the championship. In the 2019-2020 season, when Liverpool won the championship, they also led the table after the first 6 rounds and finished with a 5-point advantage over Man City. Therefore, this time could be a good sign for the 20th national championship title in the team's history.
However, if we look at history more broadly, only 4/10 teams in the last 10 seasons have won the championship after reaching the top of the table in the 6th round. That is Man City and Liverpool in the two seasons mentioned above, plus Chelsea (2014-2015) and Man City (2017-2018).
Arne Slot and his students are certainly not naive enough to believe in past numbers to reduce motivation after a successful start to the season. The most fundamental thing is still the squad, the playing style and the performance of each star. Regarding these, how far can Liverpool maintain?
This season, Virgil van Dijk has less of a burden as his partner Ibrahima Konate has matured. Up front, Ryan Gravenberch has transformed and become a main player, not just a substitute like last season under Jurgen Klopp. Along with Alexis Mac-Allister, Liverpool have a very quality central midfield duo with many qualities.
Above, in a season that was thought to be declining due to old age, Mohamed Salah is excelling. Along with that, Luis Diaz's remarkable progress has made him a valuable striker for the club.
Liverpool are hit by an injury crisis every year and this is something Slot needs to worry about right now. The dark times usually come in November and December and have consequences into January and February of the following year. The constant Champions League and domestic cup games can take a toll on the legs.
As for Arne Slot, modesty was the first thing felt after Liverpool led the table after round 6. The Kop had not faced any opponents in the Top 8 last season, so Slot understood that the test doses from the beginning of the season were not strong enough to accurately assess Liverpool's strength.
"After 19 matches (first half of the season), you will know your true strength. In the near future, we have matches against Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea and Aston Villa to test" - Slot shared.
Sharing the same view with the head coach, Virgil van Dijk said that December is extremely important because it will shape the rest of the season for every team, not just Liverpool. The Kop captain said that the teams that get through this period well and without injuries will have a high chance of lifting the trophy at the end of the season.
Liverpool have had a number of injuries to key players this season, but none as serious as Van Dijk's ACL. However, the problem for the team is that these stars have struggled to find form. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota have all struggled since their return to the pitch.
To avoid this situation, the first thing is to ensure physical fitness and condition. In addition to the coaching expertise, Arne Slot hopes that the club's medical team can operate at maximum efficiency to help keep the players safer.
The journey ahead is still long and Liverpool have not yet encountered any major obstacles. This is the time for Arne Slot and his team to save their strength and prepare to unleash in the next few months. If Liverpool still hold the top spot after Christmas, their fans will have the right to dream of winning the championship at the end of the season.
