Liverpool Take Control of Title Race as City Stumble

Liverpool have surged to the top of the Premier League, now leading by five points after a 2-0 win over Aston Villa following Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton. Alexis Mac Allister admitted that, before the season, he didn’t see Liverpool as title contenders but their strong start under new manager Arne Slot has changed that perception. Slot, who replaced Jurgen Klopp in the summer has guided Liverpool to 9 wins from 11 league games, continuing a solid overall record of 15 wins from 17 matches.

However, Slot remains cautious, acknowledging the tough challenges ahead and the need for consistency. Liverpool’s experience is key to their title push with players like Mohamed Salah playing a vital role. Salah scored his fourth consecutive league goal in the win against Villa, becoming the first player across Europe’s top five leagues to reach double figures for both goals (10) and assists (10).

Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman believes the team’s experience, particularly from their previous Premier League and Champions League successes will help them maintain their challenge. Statistically, Liverpool’s start mirrors their 2019-20 title-winning campaign, having accumulated 31 points after 11 games just ahead of the 28 points they’ve earned this season.

At this stage in 2019-20, they were six points ahead of second-placed City, ultimately finishing 18 points clear. Opta’s League Prediction model now gives Liverpool a 59.3% chance of finishing first, up from just 5.1% pre-season. While City is trailing, history shows they are formidable challengers having overcome similar gaps in recent seasons, making this title race far from over.