Slot not looking at title race after Liverpool endure ‘struggles throughout’ first half of season

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has admitted he is not currently looking at the title race after a first half of the season in which he says the team has had “struggles throughout”.

The Reds were held to a goalless draw – their first in 84 matches under Slot – at home to Leeds United on New Year’s Day and are 12 points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal.

However, Slot’s men are now eight matches unbeaten after recovering from the club’s worst run of results in 71 years.

But despite his side’s upturn in form, the Dutch head coach said he was not looking at Liverpool defending their domestic crown as a realistic possibility right now due to a tough start to the campaign.

“I think there are two teams,” Slot said of the Gunners and Manchester City when asked to assess the title race ahead of the Reds’ clash with Fulham on Sunday.

“[Aston] Villa are really close but Arsenal created a bit of a gap by beating Villa and those two teams are quite far away from us and we should not look at those two at this moment in time.

“We have had our struggles throughout. We started really well in terms of results, games were really close, then we had a phase of the season where games were still really close but we were constantly unlucky.

“Now we have been eight games unbeaten but if you say this you feel like: ‘They are flying through the league.’ But that is not what we are doing. Every single game we play it’s hard work. We are mainly the team that is probably better but not enough.

“Hopefully we can find a moment where we can fly through the season, but for the first 19 games it has been a constant battle, close to each other, sometimes a bit lucky, sometimes a bit unlucky.”

Injury updates and set-piece coach successor

Slot will be hoping Joe Gomez will be fit for the game at Craven Cottage after he revealed the defender trained on Friday, however, Wataru Endo remains sidelined while Florian Wirtz may be doubtful after tweaking his hamstring against Leeds.

Slot also thanked former set-piece coach Aaron Briggs, who departed the club earlier this week, but remained tight-lipped on a possible replacement.

“First of all I want to thank him [Briggs] for the one and a half years we worked together because he’s been a big part of us winning the league last year and he’s been a big help to me,” Slot said.

“He will definitely find a new challenge because he’s done a good job for us, he’s a very good human being and a very promising, good English coach and deserves to get multiple chances again.

“I think it would be a surprise to you if I never talk about players we bring in that I would start talking to you about names in terms of coaches we could bring in.

“Of course, we are looking at the situation and what is best for us now, but as long as I have no news about that I cannot share anything about it.”