Arne Slot insists Liverpool will not talk about being Premier League title favourites despite taking a five-point lead at the top of the table.
The Dutchman’s side are nine points clear of third place and have only dropped five points this season, while results before the international break meant statisticians Opta gave them a 58 per cent chance of winning the league and many bookmakers made Liverpool the likeliest champions.
But while manager Slot does detect growing belief from his players in him, he is adamant that neither he nor anyone at the club will get carried away by their lofty position.
He said: “I don’t talk about favourites. It is boring but I just talk about the next game which is a challenge in itself.”
Slot does feel it was only natural that his players would have doubts about a new head coach after Jurgen Klopp’s long and successful reign, but believes they have been assuaged by Liverpool’s fine start.
He explained: “It is completely normal they thought that, they didn’t just have nine years with the former manager, they had nine successful years. Then you always wonder, ‘are things going to change?’
“In the summer, we didn’t bring that many new players, so then it is quite normal if you look at the ones we are [in] competition with did bring in players, it is normal for them to think ‘what is going to happen this season?’ Especially because nearly all of them were on holiday two weeks before the season started.
“But that is why it was really helpful and useful we got results from the start and they saw from the start the playing style didn’t change that much. So that combination of things helped. It would be weird if not all of them felt what you felt, that is completely normal.”
Slot explained why he is so cautious about Liverpool’s title prospects, and believes his approach is shared at the top of the club.
“In the Premier League the margins are very small,” he explained. “We know it has been a close call in many games. These teams like [Manchester] City, Arsenal and Chelsea and even [Manchester] United and all the others are able to put together a run of games like we did.
“We are all aware of the fact we are only 11 games into the season and will not get carried away. It is not like this is the first time in Liverpool history we have been top of the league. I don’t think the owners will get carried away. I am for sure not getting carried away, and the players will not as well.”
Slot believes owners Fenway Sports Group are pleased with him but outlined the structure at Anfield as he said he talks mainly with sporting director Richard Hughes.
“I could assume they are happy, not just because of the results, but because of the way we have played, mainly the playing style and the results that come from that,” he said.
“It is not on a daily basis but the same every month. I have had a very good relationship from the start with Richard which is one of the reasons why I loved to join the club. I have talked about the fans and the players we have, but if the relationship with the sporting director is not the best you will not go – but it was the contrary of that because I had a good feeling from the start about the person and definitely about the professional.
“It is the same with Michael Edwards and everyone, but the main one I communicate with is Richard, of course. Sometimes there is a bit of contact with the others. There is a clear hierarchy and I speak mostly to Richard.”