Ex-Manchester United star Teddy Sheringham believes Liverpool can still win the Premier League under Arne Slot – and former Reds shot-stopper David James agrees.
The Merseyside outfit looked impervious to start Slot's first season in charge, winning each of their first three matches, including a 3-0 drubbing of bitter rivals United, all without conceding a goal.
Yet, what goes up must eventually come down, and Anfield was brought back to Earth when Callum Hudson-Odoi's 72nd-minute strike gave Nottingham Forest a 1-0 away win, denting Liverpool's title dreams early on.
This slip-up hasn't changed the mind of ex-Reds goalkeeper James, however. He is still in agreement with former rival Sheringham over how well the Dutch debutant will do during his first campaign at the helm, having taken over from the big-booted Jurgen Klopp.
READ MORE: Sky Sports fans can save £216 on their bill, here's three other reasons you'll want to pick it
READ MORE: Liverpool legend's eight-word comment about Dominik Szoboszlai speaks volumes
Sheringham began the season by naming a trio of clubs as those he considers contenders. "I think there's three teams capable of winning the title this year," the ex-England striker said at the launch of Ladbrokes' 'Gaffer of all Accas'. "Man City, Arsenal and, while I was unsure about them, with the new manager coming in, I think Liverpool will be up there.
"Arne Slot seems to have settled in very nicely," Sheringham, who played over 150 times for United, continued. "I loved his way of talking. He mentioned Jurgen Klopp in a really clever way; he acknowledged that the fans loved Klopp, he said he loves him too, and he assured the supporters he wouldn't be changing a lot.
"His approach, and his acknowledgement of Klopp, is the perfect way to keep his players, and the supporters, on side. They're definitely in the title race."
Yet, Forest cut Slot's winning streak short, and with both the Gunners and Pep Guardiola's City unbeaten so far, ground has already been lost. James still sticks by Sheringham’s prediction, though, naming the defeat as an important lesson for Slot to learn from and carry with him during an expected title fight.
"I don’t think the result against Nottingham Forest was a reality check for Liverpool’s title aspirations this season, but it was definitely a blip," James told SafestCasinoSites.
"To win the Premier League, you have to have 90 points. That’s what it takes to win the title and that will be the benchmark, so, in theory, you can afford lose eight games, you just have to win the other thirty! Nice and simple.
"I wonder if dealing with the international break and all of the disruption that brings is something that Arne has to learn from. That can be an issue because your best players are away from the club for 10 days and they can lose that intensity from the training ground.
"I was so impressed with the way Liverpool started the season, but they were a little bit ponderous against Forest. I can only put that down to the international break. Slot’s had a good start and he’s clearly a talented coach and manager. Managing his players after the break will be something that he has to deal with and I’m sure he will."
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
