Arne Slot makes honest Liverpool title race admission - but there's a catch

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has delivered a candid assessment of his team’s Premier League title hopes, admitting that his side are not currently in the race and must focus instead on securing a top-four finish. Sitting well adrift of leaders Arsenal, Slot accepts that Liverpool’s position in the table makes it “very hard” to compete for the championship and that their realistic priority is now Champions League qualification.

Slot reflected on Liverpool’s season as one of inconsistency, noting that while the team has produced strong performances and put together unbeaten runs, they have also dropped too many points in games they should have controlled. He acknowledged that Liverpool often look the better side in matches but only by a small margin, leaving results on a knife-edge. To truly challenge for the title, Slot believes Liverpool must increase the gap in quality and dominance so that they are clearly superior, rather than hovering within a narrow 20% difference to opponents.

Despite conceding that Liverpool are not genuine title contenders at the moment, Slot has not completely ruled out a late twist. He suggested that if something extraordinary were to happen in the title race, his team must be ready to take advantage, but he stressed that this is not the mindset with which they approach each game. For now, the focus is on winning individual matches, improving performances, and solidifying their position in the top four.

Slot also hinted at the next stage of Liverpool’s development under his management: moving towards a style of play that is less reactive to opponents and more about imposing Liverpool’s own fast, aggressive football in every game. While he admits the team is “not there yet,” he remains confident in the talent within the squad and believes that, with greater consistency and perhaps a bit of “magic” in tight matches, Liverpool can still beat anyone and build a stronger platform for future title challenges.