Arne Slot plays it cool over Premier League title challenge but changes his tune

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Liverpool sits 10 points off the Premier League pace nearing the halfway mark; Arne Slot had previously all but conceded the title defense, but has rowed back a littleArne Slot struck a slightly different tone when asked about Liverpool's title defense recently(Image: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)It may not feel like it, but Liverpool is the defending Premier League champion. And with more than half of the season still to play, Arne Slot has declined to completely write off that defense just yet.After an excellent first few results, Liverpool descended into full-blown crisis mode, such that Slot's future at the club ended up under scrutiny.

But in any case, there have been some tentative signs of a revival, and Slot is remaining tight-lipped on his ambitions for the rest of the campaign.READ MORE: Mohamed Salah was left in tears as Liverpool teammate inflicted AFCON agonyREAD MORE: Liverpool handed major double injury boost as Arne Slot confirms timeline for Cody Gakpo returnCertainly, the recent mini-uptick has been nowhere near enough to inspire genuine confidence. And already, every single team has dropped more than the 10 points that separate first and seventh (and indeed Sunderland in eighth).In fact, one more defeat for Arsenal would mean Mikel Arteta's side has already dropped the same number of points that Liverpool lost throughout its title-winning 2019/20 campaign.

The league, which looked for a time as though it was heading for a period where near-perfection would be required for a title, has swung the other way.Arsenal has started to stumble in its latest attempt to get a title charge over the line(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Of course, none of this means that Liverpool will necessarily be able to get its act together and close the gap. All Slot can do is position his side to be ready in the event that others falter, and he has a far better chance of doing that with a Liverpool squad which believes in its title-winning caliber.