Arne Slot insisted he is not paying too much attention to the Premier League table as Liverpool gear up for their clash with title rivals Manchester City.
The Reds romped to the title in Slot’s first season at Anfield, but face a huge challenge to defend their crown this time around.
A run of four straight league defeats saw Liverpool lose plenty of ground on the early frontrunners Arsenal, who have won their last ten games in all competitions and have not conceded a goal in their last eight.
Mikel Arteta’s side currently hold a seven-point advantage over Liverpool at the top of the table, while City are sandwiched between the two sides and six points behind the Gunners.
While Arsenal travel to the Stadium of Light to take on the impressive Sunderland, Liverpool and City will clash in a game that will surely carry huge title ramifications despite it being early in the season.
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Back-to-back victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid have brought some calm back to Liverpool, but Slot will know that a defeat to Pep Guardiola’s side could leave them trailing Arsenal by an alarming ten points heading into the international break.
Despite that, though, Slot said he is far more focused on getting his side back to their consistent best than worrying about Arsenal and the ensuing title race.
‘I only focus on ourselves and our main focus is on consistency at the moment,’ the Dutchman said in his pre-match press conference.
‘We have lost a few games, much more than we usually do. Now we have won two.
‘So our focus is on improving and getting players fit and we’ll see where that leads to, but at this moment in time the league table is definitely not the only focus we have.’
‘We were very consistent, but we were consistently losing!’ he added. ‘That wasn’t the idea we had with consistency. The idea is to do things consistently right.’
Liverpool delivered a superb performance last time they visited the Etihad Stadium, recording a well-earned 2-0 win to put them on course for their 20th league title.
But Slot is expecting a far tougher test this time around, noting: ‘City playing there away from home is one of the most difficult challenges you have throughout a season.
‘Every away game is difficult, City have felt that this season because they have lost two away games and we have lost away games. Arsenal have been the exception this season, although they did lose to us away.
‘It’s a very interesting game to look forward to. When I was in Holland, I always knew when Liverpool were playing City and I was 100% in front of my TV screen watching. Similar to El Clasico – these are the few games that everyone looks forward to.’
Liverpool are hoping to welcome Alexander Isak back into the fold after the Swede missed their last four games with a groin injury.
‘He will train for the first time today with the team again after being three weeks out,’ Slot confirmed when asked about his star striker’s fitness.
‘I know that I said three weeks ago his pre-season has ended, so now it’s time to for us to see where he is but I have to come back to those words because if you’re three weeks only with the rehab, that doesn’t bring you back to the levels he was at three weeks ago.
‘Although our rehab team is doing an incredible job, but you cannot compare rehab with games of football or training sessions with the team as much as we try to replicate it, that is simply not possible.
‘Again I have to say, give him some time.’
Andy Robertson, who has started Liverpool’s last three games in place of summer signing Milos Kerkez, is also a doubt, with Slot adding: ‘He started three games in seven days as he also started against Crystal Palace.
‘I felt he was tired, so I had to take him out at the end of the game [against Real Madrid]. But we have to wait and see how the recovery goes.
‘Let’s see where he is today.’
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