Liverpool: Arne Slot namechecks Man City as Reds boss acknowledges new Premier League title contender | OneFootball

The Reds are currently six points clear with a game in hand

Liverpool manager Arne Slot insists Nottingham Forest have to be treated like Premier League title contenders, whilst also mentioning Manchester City.

Slot's side have enjoyed a brilliant first half of the campaign, winning 14 of their first 19 games and drawing four.

This has resulted in Liverpool opening up a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table and they also have a game in hand over their closest rivals.

Though, their one league defeat so far was inflicted by their opponents on Tuesday; Nottingham Forest.

When asked if Forest are title contenders, Slot said: "I've always said that you can judge the table best halfway through the season and that moment is there now so if Forest is up there with us, Arsenal, Chelsea, City and all the others then they definitely are a team that's in competition with us and the other teams.

"They deserve to be treated like this if you look at the way they play and if you look at their results. It's going to be a very difficult challenge tomorrow to get a result."

Nottingham Forest have been the surprise package in the Premier League this season.

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Slot name-checking Manchester City is somewhat of a surprise given Pep Guardiola has already ruled his side out of contention following a poor run of form that sees them trail Liverpool by 12 points having played a game more.

Turning his attention back to Forest and reflecting on the 1-0 loss in the reverse meeting earlier in the season, the Liverpool manager is expecting Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga to start this time around after making an impact off the bench at Anfield.

"Now looking back at it and seeing where they are in the league it's not as [big of] a shock result as I though it was back then," he added in the pre-match press conference. "They had a very good gameplan, changed the winger that normally played and brought them in at the end, and they made the difference.

"Although I expect their wingers that have done so well to be in the starting XI tomorrow.

"That is something he [Santo] changed back then and that worked really well for them during that game."