Liverpool manager, Arne Slot, has insisted that his side still possesses the quality to achieve ‘special things’ this season despite a faltering start to their Premier League title defence.
Naija News reports that the reigning English Premier League champions will travel to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday, January 8, to face league leaders Arsenal, sitting fourth on the table and a daunting 14 points behind the Gunners.
Liverpool’s early-season struggles have significantly dented their title ambitions. Slot’s men endured a difficult spell that saw them lose nine of 12 matches across all competitions.
However, the Reds have since responded with an improved run, going unbeaten in their last nine games, although that sequence has been blunted by four draws.
Two of those stalemates came in their opening Premier League fixtures of 2026, a goalless draw against Leeds United and a 2-2 draw with Fulham.
Reflecting on the mixed results, Slot admitted his side had dropped too many points.
“It is nine games unbeaten but we have definitely had two draws too many,” the Dutchman said during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
Slot, who led Liverpool to an impressive league title in his debut season at Anfield after replacing Jurgen Klopp, acknowledged that his team are not currently meeting expectations.
“Where are we? I think I’ve said so many times that the answer to that question is we aren’t where we want to be,” he said.
“But I feel we have a very talented squad. If everyone’s available and ready, then I think we can do special things.”
Liverpool have shown flashes of their quality this season, including a 1-0 victory over Arsenal at Anfield back in August.
“I think we’ve also shown that this season because we’ve got quite a lot of impressive wins, but we’ve also had unimpressive draws and losses,” Slot said.
“We haven’t had the consistency but we’ve already beaten some very good teams, so that tells you the talent is definitely there but the consistency isn’t.”
Among Liverpool’s standout performances were home victories against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, as well as an emphatic 5-1 away win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
However, those highs have been counterbalanced by worrying lows, with the Reds suffering three-goal defeats at Anfield on three occasions this season, against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven.
As Liverpool prepare to face an in-form Arsenal side, Slot is hoping his team can rediscover the consistency needed to revive their title challenge and justify his belief that they can still produce something special before the season ends.
