Liverpool can forget about the title – they have bigger issues to solve

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The last champions to lose five of their first 11 games had been Leicester in 2016-17; yet they were an extraordinary anomaly in winning the league. They have lost their last four on the road and, going back to last season, six of eight.

Liverpool's terrible start means they are eight points adrift in their title race defence (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)It is a reason why Slot is right: Liverpool cannot yet think about winning the title. Yet they actually got more points than in their title-winning campaign whereas now Arsenal’s rise has been compounded by Liverpool’s slump.

Go back five years and Liverpool’s last title defence was destroyed by defensive injuries; yet even then, they were top at Christmas. And yet, after 11 games, they have lost five and if there are red ribbons on the trophy in May, they will surely be those of Arsenal.