As Liverpool continue to march on, football writer Ben Bloom assesses the likelihood of them repeating their 2019/20 title success.
Another comprehensive Liverpool triumph, a slip-up for Chelsea and the continued struggles of Manchester City – with just one match remaining until the halfway point of the Premier League season, the sense of an imperious march to bring the title to Anfield grows ever stronger.
While others stumble, Liverpool remain resolute.
Staggeringly, it is now more than 100 days since the sole defeat of Arne Slot’s tenure - at home to Nottingham Forest on 14 September - with the Dutchman clocking up 22 wins in 26 matches across all competitions.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
17 | +23 | 42 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
18 | +19 | 36 |
| 3 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
18 | +17 | 35 |
| 4 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
18 | +5 | 34 |
His side’s lead at the top of the Premier League table now stands at six points over Arsenal, with the benefit of a game in hand on every team in the chasing pack. Can anyone catch Slot's men?
Capable of comebacks
On Boxing Day, Liverpool repeated what is becoming a common trick under Slot.
An early goal from Jordan Ayew gave Leicester City an unlikely lead at Anfield, but the hosts fought back from a frustrating opening half - in which Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah both hit the woodwork - to secure a deserved 3-1 win.
It was not the first time Slot’s side have overcome in-game set-backs to prevail.
Only Man City - who have developed a horrible knack of conceding opening goals - have recovered more points from losing positions than Liverpool this season, with Slot’s team coming from behind to avoid defeat against Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United, Fulham and now Leicester City.
Ten PL teams with most points gained from losing position
| 2024/25 | Points gained |
| Man City | 14 |
|---|---|
| Liverpool | 12 |
| Aston Villa | 11 |
| Brentford | 9 |
| Bournemouth | 9 |
| Chelsea | 9 |
| Newcastle | 9 |
| Spurs | 9 |
Better after the break
It is Liverpool's second-half showings that truly mark them out from their rivals.
If taken in isolation, Liverpool would not even sit top of a table for first-half performances alone. Slot’s side would have earned 31 points if their matches had ended at half-time, ranking them behind Arsenal, who would have claimed 34 points.
However, Liverpool are incomparable after the interval. In second halves alone, their 40-point tally would far outrank Nottingham Forest, the next best team, on 33.
Keeping their composure
Despite his side’s numerical advantage at the summit, Slot is determined not to get ahead of himself in his first season in charge.
"If you are in this game for a long time, like these players are and I am, you know that you don’t look at it [the title race] 21 matches before the end," he said.
"It is far too early to be celebrating. You have seen all these games and I don’t think there was an easy win. That tells you how difficult it is to win if all of your players are available. We just have to take it one game at a time."
He pointed to the current plight of four-time reigning champions Man City, who have plummeted from top spot with only one win in 13 across all competitions.
“So many challenges are still ahead," said Slot.
"Two months ago we were one point behind Man City and look what has happened there in terms of injuries, then you have a bit of bad luck, and then suspensions... this can happen to any team."
Liverpool supporters will also need little reminding that their team has been in similar positions over recent seasons.
In 2018/19, under Jurgen Klopp, they went into the new year undefeated at the halfway stage of the campaign and in possession of a 10-point lead over Man City, having conceded just eight goals in 20 games.
But with City going on to win 18 of their last 19 league matches, Liverpool’s final 97-point tally was only good enough for second.
And in two of the last three seasons, Liverpool have taken quadruple attempts deep into the season, only to falter in the latter stages.
In 2021/22, they completed an FA Cup and EFL Cup double, but were runners-up in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. Last season, they won only the EFL Cup.
Eager to control any expectations of his team, Slot has even attempted to downplay Liverpool’s unbeaten away league run.
"I think our away form has been good, but maybe it has a bit to do with the teams you face in the first half of the season," he said.
"So, I think mainly we have faced the teams in the top half of the table at home and the other ones we faced away, so that might have something to do with it.
"I think we are a difficult team to beat away from home, as [we are] in our home games."
Salah: We need to stay humble
Yet, for all of Slot’s protestations, it was Salah who voiced the thoughts of many when he suggested "it feels different" this season.
For the duration of Pep Guardiola’s tenure, it has usually required something approaching perfection to get the better of Man City - as Liverpool found out in that 2018/19 campaign. A City title charge has been akin to a cast-iron guarantee.
That is not the case this year, with Guardiola’s side falling a whopping 14 points off the pace and out of the European qualification places.
At the same time, Enzo Maresca continues to downplay Chelsea’s chances of overhauling Liverpool, and Arsenal have only once been able to win more than two consecutive league games.
"The most important thing is we need to stay humble," said Salah. "This one is very special, hopefully we win the Premier League and for this club it is something I dream of.
"The most important thing is the team winning - hopefully we win the Premier League.
"It is great, but we focus on each game and hopefully we carry on like that."
Salah’s declaration that this current Liverpool crop feels different to previous incarnations followed their win over Leicester on Boxing Day. On the same date in 2019, they beat the same opposition 4-0, when Liverpool were on their way to winning the title.
Another triumph at West Ham United on Sunday would further widen the gap at the top, with Chelsea not playing until Monday and Arsenal two days later.
Liverpool's next five PL fixtures
There appears little alarm from Liverpool’s other upcoming fixtures. The visit of Manchester United poses a modicum of its former threat, although a bigger test follows when Liverpool travel to high-flying Forest.
An extraordinary start to his reign has also seen Slot guide the club to the top of the UEFA Champions League table and into the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.
Salah on course for historic season
It is strange to recall that much of last summer was spent waiting to see if Salah would depart Anfield for a new challenge elsewhere.
Instead, the Egyptian stayed at Liverpool and is enjoying one of the all-time great Premier League campaigns.
He currently leads the way for goals (16) and assists (11), having become the first player ever to reach double figures in both categories before Christmas.
His 27 goal involvements in 17 league matches this season is just one short of his final total last season as he sets a punishing pace for this to potentially become his most prolific Liverpool campaign.
Liverpool's top five scorers in all competitions
| 2024/25 | Goals |
| Mohamed Salah | 19 |
|---|---|
| Luis Diaz | 11 |
| Cody Gakpo | 10 |
| Diogo Jota | 5 |
| Darwin Nunez | 4 |
Contract uncertainty remains a cloud
The only lingering cloud on an otherwise radiant horizon is the continual discussion around the futures of Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all of whom are out of contract at the end of the season and permitted to speak to overseas clubs from 1 January.
Asked this week whether there is any news on the trio, Slot said: "They are in constant talks with the club and let’s wait and see what happens.
"As long as they keep performing like this, the manager, or head coach I have to say, is happy with them."
The contract impasse has certainly had no negative bearing on the pitch.
Van Dijk has been at his brilliant best this season, with Slot this week describing him as "a tremendous player" and "the vocal leader of this team".
And, for all that Salah has been the standout marksman, Liverpool have been far from a one-man goalscoring unit.
From the back to front, Slot has harnessed a well-oiled machine. It is going to take some stopping.