Liverpool sit at the top of the Premier League table with a four-point lead over Chelsea in second, having played a game less than all their rivals. Some predictions are giving them a more than 80 percent chance of winning the league and their consistency has been a cause of worry for the rest of the chasing pack. However, nothing is won or lost in December and with a third of the season left, it is not irrelevant to ask whether Liverpool have peaked far too early in the season.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson used to insist that it was all about getting things going after Christmas and his legendary sides used to come into their own in the second half of seasons.
However, the Scot was forced to reassess his plans once Jose Mourinho arrived. His first two Premier League titles at Chelsea were built on fast starts to the season and never relinquishing control of the race for the rest of the season.
The Liverpool side that won the Premier League in the 2019/20 campaign lost just one game until February and more or less had the title sewn up even before the season was forced into a break due to the Covid crisis.
Every other side in the league would want to be in Liverpool’s position at this stage of the season but there are early warning signs for Arne Slot’s team.
Where could the Reds slip up in the latter half of the season?
Liverpool are still too dependent on Mohamed Salah for getting them out of tricky situations by finding the back of the net regularly. The negotiations over his new contract have not affected him this season but he is not happy.
If the rumours around his future drag into 2025, they could emerge as a major distraction with Salah now in a position to hold talks with clubs outside England over a move next summer.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is on a similar boat and the constant speculation over these two players could finally take a toll on their performances and Liverpool cannot afford that.
Ibrahima Konate’s injury has affected the balance of their defence and conceding three goals at Newcastle last week could be a red herring for things to come.
Can you name the team Liverpool sold these players to?
More injuries to key players could bite into the depth of their squad and do they have players to replace Salah or Van Dijk if these two players are sidelined for any given period of time? The answer is no.
Moreover, Manchester City and Arsenal will be expected to put together a good run of wins together at some point and Chelsea are also emerging as real contenders.
Liverpool will have less room for error in the coming months and every dropped point will only add to the pressure.
With the Reds not keen to spend big in January, things could get really tricky for Slot and his team if just a few things go against them. They are the favourites to win the league but it is not over as some are pretending.
