Slot Admits Liverpool’s Season a “Constant Battle” as Arsenal and City Pull Clear
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has conceded that his side’s Premier League title defence has been a struggle, describing the first half of the campaign as a “constant battle” and acknowledging that the race for the crown looks increasingly like a straight fight between Arsenal and Manchester City.
Liverpool Off the Pace
The Reds sit fourth at the halfway stage, 12 points behind leaders Arsenal and eight adrift of City, following a frustrating 0–0 draw with Leeds at Anfield. Aston Villa, enjoying a strong campaign under Unai Emery, are six points clear of Liverpool in third.
Slot’s men have recovered from a torrid run of nine defeats in 12 matches across all competitions earlier in the autumn, but despite going seven league games unbeaten, they remain well short of the consistency shown by the top two.
“Realistically, those two teams, Arsenal and City, are quite far away from us and we should not look at them at this moment in time,” Slot admitted. “Every single game we play is hard work. We are mainly the team that is probably better than the other team, but not by enough.”
Margins and Missed Opportunities
Slot reflected on the fine margins that have defined Liverpool’s season so far. “For the first 19 games it has been a constant battle. Margins have been small, sometimes a bit lucky, sometimes a bit unlucky,” he said. He believes fourth place is a fair reflection of their campaign, noting that while Liverpool could have picked up “three, four, five or even six more points,” their performances have not merited a place above Arsenal or City.
The Dutchman, who guided Liverpool to the title in his debut season, stressed that the gap to the leaders is justified. “That we are so many points behind them, there are reasons for that. It wouldn’t be fair if we were above them for the way we have played.”
Injuries and Key Absences
Liverpool’s attacking struggles have been compounded by injuries and absences. Alexander Isak remains sidelined, while Mohamed Salah is away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt. Against Leeds, the Reds dominated possession but failed to create clear chances, a recurring theme in their campaign.
Slot acknowledged the balance between defensive solidity and attacking inefficiency. “It is clear and obvious that we hardly concede chances anymore. But it is also clear and obvious that we find it quite hard to generate enough chances for all the ball possession we have. This has not been new for us this season.”
Looking Ahead
Liverpool travel to Fulham on Sunday, aiming to maintain their unbeaten run and strengthen their grip on a Champions League place. With Arsenal and City setting relentless standards, Slot’s focus appears to be on stabilising performances and rediscovering attacking fluency rather than chasing an unlikely title defence.
The second half of the season will test Liverpool’s resilience, particularly as they juggle domestic ambitions with European commitments. Slot’s challenge is to turn hard-fought battles into convincing victories, a shift that could yet define whether the Reds finish as contenders or simply survivors in a campaign of narrow margins.