The Liverpool boss insists there has “never been an easy game” for his side this season
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has brushed aside claims that the Premier League has reduced in strength and Liverpool had an easy run to the title, as the Reds prepare to clinch their 20th league title, equalling Manchester United’s record.
Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, three of the traditional clubs in the ‘top six’, have all performed poorly this season, with Chelsea and City fighting for Champions League qualification with traditional mid-table sides, while United are languishing near the relegation zone.
Tottenham, another traditional top-six side, have only one club sandwiched between them and the relegation zone. Spurs have also lost 18 matches this season, more than any other side in the league apart from Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton, who are all going down.
Only Arsenal have mounted a serious challenge for the title, but the Gunners lost their key player Bukayo Saka for three months mid season, and have also played the season without a natural goalscorer.
But Slot insists that the league is still highly competitive and that it has been a difficult season for Liverpool as well.
“I’ve only been here for a year so I can only tell you what I’ve experienced this season,” said the Dutchman.
“I think it’s never been as exciting for top-four, top-five finish. In all the years before, it was quite clear which clubs will probably get the top three or four positions.
“In my opinion, it’s a really difficult league because that’s what I’ve experienced over here, there’s never been an easy game. It’s always been very hard to win a game of football.
“We are not the only team in this league who find it difficult to win a game by three or four goals. That was maybe easier two, three, four or five years ago.
“Either the teams are not so good any more – the Liverpools, the Manchester Citys and the Arsenals – or we are still very good but the other teams have the funds to spend just as much or, in some situations, even more.”
