Six Reasons Why Liverpool Could Dominate the EPL Title Race

Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday saw them stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points, a position no one, not even the players, expected going into the November international break. "If you had asked me before the season started, I wouldn't have said we were title contenders," admitted midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. "But now, it looks like we are."

According to Opta, they're not just contenders—they're favourites, having won nine of their 11 league games so far and 15 of their 17 in all competitions. In fact, only five teams in Premier League history have held such a commanding lead at this stage of the season, and all five went on to win the league, including Jurgen Klopp's dominant 2019-20 side.

But will history repeat itself? The general consensus is that Liverpool might eventually stumble, just as they did last season while chasing a quadruple. A dip in form seems inevitable, especially given the grueling schedule and the intense competition of the Premier League. With a long, demanding season ahead, it's unlikely that Arne Slot's side will maintain their current exceptional win rate.

That said, the early part of this season has shown that Liverpool are more than capable of securing a 20th top-flight title. And it's not just because they have Mohamed Salah, the best player in the world right now. Below, we highlight six less obvious, underrated reasons why the Reds could go all the way this season...

The Slot effect

One of the most impressive aspects of Liverpool’s title charge is how little the squad was strengthened during the summer. Typically, when a new manager takes over, they’re given a significant transfer budget to work with. But Liverpool, under Arne Slot, only secured a goalkeeper for next season (Giorgi Mamardashvili) and took a small gamble on Federico Chiesa—though that move is yet to bear fruit. As a result, Slot has essentially been working with the same set of players as last season.

However, this is partly why Slot was chosen to succeed Jurgen Klopp in the first place—his footballing philosophy is very similar to Klopp’s. More importantly, Liverpool's sporting directors, Michael Edwards and Co., were impressed by how Slot managed to compete with wealthier rivals in the Netherlands, maximising the resources at his disposal. Now, he's doing the same in England.

While the fantastic form of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk is no surprise—these are world-class players who would have excelled under nearly any manager—Slot deserves immense credit for the remarkable development of players like Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones.

Where other managers might have been frustrated by Liverpool's failure to sign a specialist No.6 (think Antonio Conte!), Slot took a more pragmatic approach. He unlocked Gravenberch’s potential while also bringing the best out of Jones. The result is a midfield duo that has formed a strong understanding and become guaranteed starters—something no one could have predicted before the season began.

Greater depth without spending big

The progress made by Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones has only intensified the competition for midfield spots, putting pressure on Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to raise their performances. But this dynamic is playing out across the entire squad, with Liverpool appearing better equipped to cope with injuries and absences than their title rivals.

Ahead of Liverpool's clash with Arsenal at the Emirates, much of the focus was on the hosts' injury and suspension woes. However, when the match kicked off, both teams were only missing two regular starters—William Saliba and Martin Ødegaard for Arsenal, and Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota for Liverpool—making a mockery of the narrative that Liverpool have been unusually fortunate with injuries this season.

Slot has certainly benefited from a relatively settled side early in his tenure, and much will depend on keeping key players like Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah fit. However, what has become clear is that Liverpool now have enviable depth across the squad.

It’s no surprise that Caoimhin Kelleher remains the best No. 2 goalkeeper in world football, or that Conor Bradley is an excellent understudy to Trent Alexander-Arnold, but we are now seeing Kostas Tsimikas put greater pressure on Andy Robertson than ever before. The midfield is so well-stocked that Wataru Endo, one of last season's revelations, can hardly get a look-in, while Slot enjoys the luxury of choosing between Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz for the left-wing spot. In fact, as we saw in the stunning demolition of Bayer Leverkusen, Slot can even play both—an option that proved to be devastating.

Ultimately, the strength in depth has been cultivated not through new signings but through the development of existing players, which speaks volumes about Slot’s coaching quality and tactical insight.

Injury issues easing

The even more promising news for Liverpool fans is that Arne Slot will likely have even more players at his disposal after the international break.

It was concerning to see Trent Alexander-Arnold forced off against Aston Villa, but it turned out to be little more than a minor issue, and his quick recovery was impressive. The influential right-back is expected to be back before the month is out.

By then, Liverpool could also have Alisson, Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa, and Harvey Elliott back in action. While Caoimhin Kelleher has proven himself a reliable deputy, Alisson remains Liverpool’s undisputed No. 1, and his return will be a massive boost. Similarly, Jota’s return will provide a significant lift, as he is a relentless presser and arguably the best finisher at the club.

A fully fit Federico Chiesa would add another dynamic element to Liverpool's attack, though it’s expected that his minutes will be managed carefully by the medical team as they work to get him back to peak fitness.

Harvey Elliott could also play a key role in the coming weeks. The versatile midfielder was one of the few players to step up during the latter stages of the 2023-24 campaign and was set for a more prominent role under Slot until injury disrupted his progress. Elliott was arguably the standout performer in pre-season and has the creativity and energy to thrive in the No. 10 role within Slot's 4-2-3-1 formation, which still remains up for grabs.

Konate & the increase in clean sheets

If the latter part of last season taught us anything, it’s that Liverpool not only needed to cope better with injuries but also improve defensively. The Reds had reclaimed top spot in the Premier League after beating Sheffield United on April 4, but cracks were already showing at the back. They hadn’t kept a clean sheet for over a month, and they wouldn’t manage another one until the final day of the season, by which time their title challenge had already fallen apart.

Admittedly, mental and physical fatigue played a major role in their collapse—Salah, for example, was a mere shadow of his usual self, with an injury sustained on international duty finally taking its toll. However, Liverpool's defensive issues were at times alarmingly poor. Virgil van Dijk remained solid, but the absence of Joel Matip, who suffered a season-ending injury against Spurs, was keenly felt. While Jarell Quansah showed glimpses of his potential, Ibrahima Konate’s form was inconsistent, ultimately leading to him being benched for the final four league games.

This season, though, Konate has been a transformed player. While he’s had the odd mistake, he no longer looks like a liability. In fact, at times, he has even outshone Van Dijk, and together they’ve formed a rock-solid centre-back partnership, which has been instrumental in Liverpool keeping six clean sheets already this campaign.

A big part of this defensive improvement can be credited to Slot's influence. His more measured, patient, and possession-based approach has made Liverpool less vulnerable to counter-attacks, reducing the chaotic, high-stakes encounters that were a hallmark of Klopp’s thrilling but sometimes risky style.

Faltering rivals

There are several reasons to question whether Liverpool can sustain their lead and win the league. As mentioned, injuries can derail any team, and some argue that Liverpool's current position is misleading due to a relatively easy fixture list. The belief is that eventually, Manchester City and Arsenal, the teams that finished above them last season, will catch up. However, that was supposed to have happened already.

Even Slot himself acknowledged that Liverpool’s early-season schedule didn’t feature many tough opponents—aside from Manchester United, who were in disarray under Erik ten Hag, making the usually challenging trip to Old Trafford more of a formality.

Slot had stated that it would be better to evaluate Liverpool’s chances after the November break, and now, after a series of big wins against Chelsea, Brighton, and Aston Villa at home, and a draw away to Arsenal, the Reds have actually increased their lead. On top of that, they’re topping their Champions League group and progressing in the Carabao Cup. Liverpool is navigating every obstacle in their path, while City and Arsenal are faltering with inconsistent results and mounting injuries.

It’s expected that Arsenal and City will eventually find their form, but both teams appear more vulnerable than they have been in years. While Arsenal have welcomed back Martin Ødegaard, pressure is building on Mikel Arteta, especially after his massive spending spree, and the team still lacks a reliable goal scorer.

As for City, they’ve now lost four consecutive games across all competitions for the first time under Pep Guardiola. Without the injured Rodri, they are not the same force. It’s likely they’ll sign a replacement in January, possibly Liverpool's summer target Martin Zubimendi, and given their pedigree, they’ll certainly improve as the season progresses.

But who’s to say Liverpool, under Slot, won’t do the same?

More to come

Liverpool face some major challenges ahead with tough fixtures against Newcastle, Everton, and Tottenham away from home before Christmas, and a home clash against Real Madrid just days before hosting Manchester City. But there is a silver lining: having won their first four Champions League games, they’ve almost secured a spot in the knockout rounds. The goal remains to finish in the top eight, which would allow them to bypass the play-off round and go straight into the last 16—meaning fewer games in the spring. With this already in the bag, they’ll be in a position to rest and rotate players as the gruelling winter months approach.

As leaders in both the Premier League and Champions League, Liverpool are in a strong position. They have some margin for error—unlike their rivals, who can't afford to slip up.

What's perhaps most exciting is that this is only the beginning of Slot's tenure. He’s had this group since July, but even then, not all players have been available at once. There’s still room for improvement. Liverpool won’t keep winning every match, but they could still get better. And if they do, they won't just win the league—they could dominate it.

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