Liverpool have had a poor start to the 2025/26 season, allowing Arsenal to open up a comfortable gap at the Premier League summit.
After spending £446m on new players this past summer, Arne Slot’s men were named title favourites ahead of the Gunners and Manchester City.
Two and a half months on, the Merseyside outfit have lost five of their last six league games and already sit eight points adrift of first place.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  ArsenalArsenal | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 26 |
| 2 |  Manchester CityManchester City | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 8 | 15 | 22 |
| 3 |  ChelseaChelsea | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 20 |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 19 |
| 5 |  TottenhamTottenham | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 18 |
| 6 |  Aston VillaAston Villa | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 18 |
| 7 |  Manchester UnitedManchester United | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 18 |
| 8 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 18 |
Liverpool beating Arsenal to the league is still by no means out of the question, given some of the huge points deficits overturned in previous seasons’ title races, but it won’t be easy.
Jamie Carragher thinks Liverpool could still win the Premier League
Jamie Carragher has now commented on his former side potentially going back-to-back in 2025/26, suggesting it can’t be ruled out.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Premier League Podcast, he said: “I don’t think they’re over [Liverpool’s title chances]. I think they’re hanging by a thread. And the reason I say that is that I think Liverpool may still have a little bit more pain between now and January.
“And I think if Liverpool could be in a situation where they were maybe five or six points behind, I think the leaders would be Arsenal, who look the best team in the league right now.
“I think second half of the season Liverpool could put real pressure on that team because they haven’t won the Premier League before. Liverpool have, Manchester City have as well. And that will be playing on Arsenal’s mind second half of the season.”
While Carragher remains hopeful of a resurgence, another former Red thinks it will be Manchester City who take home the crown in 2026.
John Barnes spoke about Liverpool winning the league this week and stated that Slot’s men are too far off it.
He said: “I don’t think anyone else will play in a consistent enough manner to challenge those top two. And I think we’re [Liverpool] too far off it.
“So if I have to say now, as much as Arsenal [are] where they are, really just to do with the fact that they’ve seen it done, it got the t-shirt, the experience they have. Coming into March, I’ll say Man City.”
Arne Slot speaks on Liverpool defending Premier League title
Liverpool now host Nottingham Forest on Saturday, which is a must-win if they are to start attempting to close the gap on Arsenal and City.
Who will win Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest on Saturday?
Ahead of the fixture, Slot spoke to the press on Friday and was asked for his thoughts on his team defending their crown.
He said: “We are not even thinking or talking about it. It is just about the next game. The only focus we have is winning games of football.”
Opta now think Liverpool will finish third, with Mikel Arteta taking home the biggest prize in English football instead.
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