For the first time since taking charge of Liverpool, Arne Slot knows what it's like to be at the top of the Premier League table and looking down. The Kop took advantage of Man City's stumble at Newcastle to enjoy the lead.
Since the beginning of the season in all competitions, Liverpool have won 7/8 matches and only conceded 2 goals. Doubts about Arne Slot's ability are gradually fading away, but the strength of the "Red Brigade" this season to be able to compete for the championship is the question that is receiving the most attention.
One of the biggest challenges for Arne Slot and his players is the UEFA Champions League. As the new format increases the number of matches, Liverpool also has to put in more effort to plow through. To keep the players' legs up from the beginning of the season, the Anfield coaching staff has had to minimize fatigue in friendly matches. However, once the cycle becomes more intense, it is not certain that in the next few months, everything will be as beautiful as it is now.
"The whole team is proving that, if the opponents are bigger names like Chelsea, Newcastle, Arsenal or Aston Villa, we can still stand in this position.
The players know that being number one after 6 matches doesn't mean much in deciding the race. It doesn't give you the same real-world perspective as playing 19 matches.
However, the club's current positivity cannot be denied. This is even more meaningful when the team has a new coach, accompanied by a new coaching staff. Just think, if we had lost 4-5 games from the beginning of the season, everything would be very different from now" - Arne Slot shared.
After the game against Wolves, Liverpool will face Crystal Palace, then Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League. In between, there will be matches against Bologna and RB Leipzig in the Champions League. The increasingly tight and fierce schedule makes every team feel tense, not just Liverpool.
Arne Slot is feeling good for now, with his fellow Dutchmen in great form. Virgil van Dijk is still world-class at centre-back, while Ryan Gravenberch is having a remarkable season as a midfielder. When he played under Jurgen Klopp, the 22-year-old was never considered a key player. Now, things are different with Arne Slot.
In the last two seasons, when the race seemed to have room for Liverpool. However, in the end, the championship title was just a duel between Man City and Arsenal. At the end of last season, The Kop stepped in and created a three-horse race but quickly lost steam. Now, everything may have returned to the 2018 - 2020 period when Liverpool reached its peak under Jurgen Klopp.
Climbing to the top of the Premier League table when Arsenal, Man City are still classy, Chelsea, Aston Villa are still convincing is not easy for Liverpool but they have done it. Now it is time to see how long "Slot-ball" can keep this up.
