Liverpool swept Manchester United away with nonchalant ease as they won 3-0 at Old Trafford in the Premier League’s third matchday.
Arne Slot’s tactics sliced open the Red Devils from very early on in the game and brilliant finishes by Luis Diaz twice and Mohamed Salah gave them an easy victory.
In the aftermath of the game, Man United legend Paul Scholes admitted that he feels the Merseyside giants can challenge to win the league and be Man City’s closest rivals.
Scholes said the following on Premier League Productions’ broadcast, via Mirror:
“They could really challenge for that title this year. Before a ball had been kicked I thought it was going to be Arsenal’s year to give City a real go and possibly go on to win it. But after watching the first three games, I think Liverpool could go past Arsenal.”
Indeed, Liverpool are looking very formidable and are currently one of just two Premier League teams yet to drop a single point this season apart from defending champions Manchester City. In addition, they are yet to concede a single goal so far this campaign.
Still a long way to go in the title race
Arne Slot has won over the Liverpool squad and its fanbase in a quicker time than most would have expected, especially given the respect and admiration Jurgen Klopp had over his tenure at the club.
However, one must note that there is a long way to go in the English top-flight with 35 matches still to be played. Therefore, while Liverpool are one of the favourites to go all the way, it’s still too early to consider them serious contenders.
Arsenal’s and Manchester City’s biggest advantage going forward is going to be their squad depth. While the Citizens have two very good players in almost every position, the Gunners have also rebuilt their roster well in the summer without losing any of Mikel Arteta’s key players.
With that said, Liverpool are probably a bit understaffed in defence and midfield. The club made no significant effort to replace the likes of Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara – who departed in the summer – while back-ups like Fabio Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg were also allowed to leave.
The Champions League is going to commence shortly alongside the other domestic cups and when the fixtures starting coming thick and fast every three days, it will be worth seeing if Liverpool’s comparatively thin squad can stand the test of time in the Premier League.
