We DON’T look at Arsenal! Liverpool boss Arne Slot on the title race | OneFootball

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insists his side cannot afford to focus on the challenge of Arsenal after dropping more points against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

The Reds currently sit eight points clear at the top of the table but missed an opportunity to extend their lead after being held to a 2-2 draw at Villa Park.

Meanwhile, Arsenal, who sit second with a game in hand, have a chance to cut the gap to five points when they host West Ham at the Emirates on Saturday, a day before Liverpool’s trip to face defending champions Manchester City.

Despite this, Slot has dismissed any suggestion that his side are feeling the pressure from Mikel Arteta’s team, emphasising that Liverpool’s focus remains on their own performances rather than Arsenal’s results.

“We don’t look at Arsenal, we focus on ourselves,” Slot said. “We know that if we do what we need to do, we won’t have to worry about anyone else.”

The Dutchman expects a tough test at the Etihad despite Manchester City enduring a disappointing title defense.

Pep Guardiola’s side recently crashed out of the Champions League against Real Madrid and currently sit 17 points behind Liverpool in the table. However, Slot remains wary of City’s quality and their ability to dominate possession.

“What I always expect from City since Pep [Guardiola] has been there is a great football team that can play so well,” he said. “They’ve maybe had one or two months in seven or eight years that weren’t the best—partly due to injuries as well.

“They’ve signed three or four players, and you can already see them coming back if you look at the result against Newcastle. What you expect is what everyone expects when you go to the Etihad, you have to suffer and work really hard to keep them away from your goal because they are so, so good in possession. But they face a strong team as well, a team that has not lost in 22 games now.”

Liverpool will travel to the Etihad without some key players. Conor Bradley limped off against Aston Villa, and while the severity of his injury is yet to be confirmed, Slot has already ruled him out.

Joe Gomez will also be unavailable for a significant period after undergoing hamstring surgery, with Slot admitting the defender may only return towards the very end of the season.

“Joe Gomez had surgery for his hamstring injury, so he’s out for a long time,” Slot confirmed. “He will be back maybe just before the end of the season.”

Cody Gakpo’s availability remains uncertain after missing the last two games with an ankle issue suffered in the Merseyside derby. Slot described the forward as a “close call” for Sunday’s match, revealing he has yet to train fully with the team.

“Let’s see. I hope [he will be fit], but I’m not 100 percent sure,” he said. “He hasn’t trained with the team yet, maybe he does a bit today, I don’t know. It will be a close call.”

Tyler Morton also remains sidelined with a shoulder injury, further limiting Liverpool’s options ahead of what could be a defining fixture in the title race.