Liverpool head coach Arne Slot believes his side remain capable of achieving “special things” this season, despite a stuttering start to their Premier League title defence ahead of Thursday’s trip to leaders Arsenal.
The reigning champions head to the Emirates sitting fourth in the table and 14 points behind the Gunners, having struggled to build early momentum in the campaign.
Liverpool’s form has stabilised in recent weeks. After suffering nine defeats in 12 matches across all competitions earlier in the season, Slot’s side are now unbeaten in their last nine outings, although that run has included four draws.
Among those stalemates were a goalless draw with Leeds and a 2-2 result against Fulham in their opening two Premier League fixtures of 2026.
“It is nine games unbeaten, but we have definitely had two draws too many,” Slot said at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
The Dutchman, who delivered a league title in his first season at Anfield after replacing Jurgen Klopp, acknowledged that Liverpool are not yet where they want to be, but remains confident in the quality at his disposal.
“Where are we? I’ve said many times that we aren’t where we want to be,” he added. “But I feel we have a very talented squad. If everyone is available and ready, then I think we can do special things.”
Liverpool showed their potential earlier in the season with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal at Anfield in August, underlining their ability to compete with the league’s strongest sides.
“We’ve shown that this season,” Slot continued. “We’ve had some impressive wins, but also some unimpressive draws and losses. The consistency hasn’t been there.
“We’ve already beaten some very good teams, which tells you the talent is definitely there — it’s the consistency that’s missing.”
Those standout performances included home victories over Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, as well as a dominant 5-1 away win against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
However, Liverpool’s campaign has also been undermined by damaging setbacks, including three separate home defeats by three-goal margins — against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven — highlighting the uneven nature of their season so far.
