"The test for Liverpool against Manchester City on Sunday is not of their title credentials. That ship has sailed. Instead it is of how far Arne Slot's side have truly progressed since their title defence was holed. Slot feels Liverpool's displays have warranted defeat only occasionally this season late lapses, set-piece failures and wasted chances have been more common explanations than the overall performance and the 3-0 reverse at the Etihad Stadium in November was certainly one of them."
"The controversy over Virgil van Dijk's disallowed header at 1-0 still lingers for the Dutchman but does not prevent him holding his hands up. In the first half we were outplayed for large parts, he reiterated this week. We have shown we are able to compete with any team except for large parts of the first half against City. But it also helped [them] that the goal was disallowed for the wrong reasons in my opinion and they got a penalty."
"That defeat, in the 1,000th match of Pep Guardiola's managerial career, was Liverpool's seventh in the sequence of nine losses in 12 games that derailed their league campaign and undermined support for Slot. As the response to the subsequent 13-game unbeaten run and defeat at Bournemouth showed misgivings accompanying almost every performance before erupting after another set-piece calamity on the south coast neither team nor coach has fully recovered."
Liverpool face Manchester City in a match that will measure true progress since a damaged title defence. Many defeats this season stemmed from late lapses, set-piece failures and wasted chances rather than consistently poor overall performances. A 3-0 loss at the Etihad and a disallowed Virgil van Dijk header remain controversial elements of the campaign slump that included nine losses in 12 games. A subsequent 13-game unbeaten run and recent convincing wins — 6-0 over Qarabag and a 4-1 comeback against Newcastle — indicate signs of recovery, with improved pressing, fewer chances conceded and rising form from summer signings.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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