Liverpool head coach Arne Slot says Man Metropolis on their manner again and can problem for Premier League title subsequent season | Soccer Information

Man Metropolis will probably be again difficult for the Premier League title subsequent season, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has mentioned forward of the 2 sides assembly on the Etihad on Tremendous Sunday.

Metropolis proved the largest thorn in Liverpool’s facet for Slot’s predecessor Jurgen Klopp, twice pipping them by some extent to the title.

However this season, Pep Guardiola’s facet sit 17 factors behind their rivals, who’re odds-on favourites to win their second Premier League crown forward of their go to to the Etihad this weekend, dwell on Sky Sports activities.

Talking forward of the sport, Slot mentioned he was as shocked as the remainder of the Premier League with the magnitude of Metropolis’s points this season, however mentioned after a £180m January funding they had been already on their manner again once more – and are positive to be again difficult Liverpool for the title subsequent season.

“All people is stunned that Metropolis isn’t up there as a result of they have been up there for thus a few years,” Slot mentioned.

“They’ve an excellent supervisor who has proven that he will be up there each single season. So I do not assume anybody would have anticipated them now to be so many factors behind us. I do see they’re developing once more.

“I believe final weekend they had been excellent towards Newcastle. They’ve already introduced in three or 4 new gamers, so I believe everyone is aware of that this most likely is a one-time season that they aren’t up there.

“All people is aware of that this can be a one-time season that they aren’t up there, and everyone, a minimum of I, count on them to be up there subsequent season once more as a result of you may already see them going up. So that could be a shock, however I believe they’re already a lot better. They’d one or two troublesome months.”

“They began the season effectively, I believe they’re getting there now once more. However they dropped too many factors in a troublesome interval of the season, the place they’d many accidents as effectively. After which this league is ruthless. If you’re not at your greatest, then each recreation is difficult.”

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk shares his supervisor’s sentiment. The Reds are unbeaten of their final three towards the champions however have received just one league recreation on the Etihad within the final 15 years – again in November 2015.

“100 per cent,” Van Dijk mentioned when requested if Metropolis stay harmful regardless of their underwhelming season.

“They beat Newcastle 4-0 the opposite day. They had been champions 4 instances in a row for a purpose. So that they deserve all of the respect they get and we will certainly give them that.

“However on Sunday, we’ll go there and attempt to win the sport. And we all know it may be troublesome as a result of we’ve not received there for a very long time within the Premier League, everyone knows that. However we’ve got to go on the market with being courageous, along with our followers and provides the whole lot that we’ve got and attempt to get a step nearer.”

A title win this season can be Liverpool’s twentieth and would match the document at the moment held by Manchester United.

Latest setbacks at Everton and Aston Villa imply second-placed Arsenal stay within the hunt, however Van Dijk says Liverpool’s focus is on their very own outcomes fairly than these of Mikel Arteta’s facet.

“Arsenal are chasing and we try to win every recreation as effectively,” he instructed Sky Sports activities.

“For us, that is why I mentioned it many instances already, we’ve got to simply concentrate on ourselves. And that is the primary factor. If we win our video games – and that is a tricky factor already – then we’ll be good. However we’ve got to simply maintain focusing.”

Watch Man Metropolis vs Liverpool dwell on Tremendous Sunday this weekend with kick-off at 4.30pm.