Alan Shearer: 'Liverpool are the real deal' - why it will be hard to stop Arne Slot's Reds now

The challenge for the teams trying to catch Liverpool is that I believe the Premier League leaders currently have no significant flaws.

Arne Slot's team likely eliminated Manchester City from the championship contest with their victory at Anfield on Sunday, pushing City 11 points behind.

If the reigning champions aren't able to catch up to Liverpool, who else stands a chance against them?

Arsenal is in a strong position right now, especially with Martin Odegaard back from injury. Bukayo Saka seems unstoppable alongside him, and the chemistry between the two is really thrilling to watch.

Chelsea appears to be in good shape, especially since Enzo Maresca is managing a different team in Europe, allowing his players to be well-rested for weekend matches.

However, Liverpool has built a significant advantage over both teams, and based on their performance, it's hard to see where they might falter.

The Reds have performed exceptionally well this season, both in the Premier League and the Champions League, showcasing their strength in all areas of the game. They truly seem to be the real contenders.

Many of us were curious about how Slot would take over from Jurgen Klopp when he joined in the summer. However, he has been incredibly impressive up to this point, and it’s evident that his team will be tough to beat.

The holiday season, which is packed with games, will be crucial. However, based on what we've seen in the first four months of the season, their squad has plenty of depth to handle the challenge.

Transforming Concerns Into Amazing Strengths

Before this week, Liverpool had already kicked off the season in an impressive way. However, in recent days, they faced off against Real Madrid and Manchester City—two teams that have been powerhouses in Europe for quite some time—and managed to defeat them both with ease.

In the match against City, they excelled in every area of the pitch. Their midfield completely dominated City’s, and the 2-0 result didn’t accurately reflect how well they played.

They had the opportunity to score four or five goals in the first half and wasted another great chance after halftime when Mohamed Salah broke free but shot over the goal.

Liverpool's defense was both strong and well-structured. Despite dealing with injuries in their backline—missing Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley due to injuries sustained in the match against Real—they still managed to perform effectively.

The situation is consistent across the entire team. They have been without Alisson, one of the top goalkeepers globally, since late October, yet his absence is rarely brought up. This is largely due to the impressive performance of Caoimhin Kelleher.

The high level of quality gives Slot various choices and enables him to rotate his midfield players effectively.

Before the season kicked off, there were concerns about that position, especially after their unsuccessful attempt to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. However, it has surprisingly become a major asset for them, with anyone stepping in there performing excellently throughout the season.

Curtis Jones has been playing exceptionally well lately, but he began Sunday’s match on the sidelines. Instead, Dominik Szoboszlai took the field alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.

It didn't matter at all. Each of the four players brings great energy that influences how Slot wants to approach pressing. I appreciate how the entire team works together to carry out his strategy.

Liverpool possesses a solid defense and functions as a cohesive unit, consistently working together to protect their goal. At the same time, they generate numerous scoring opportunities and excel in set-piece situations. Overall, they embody the qualities you would desire from your ideal team.

Arne Slot expressed that Liverpool came very close to achieving perfection in their victory against City.

"Boost Haaland’s Game: Improve His Support"

In comparison, based on my observations of City over the last seven matches, they seem to be far from their usual level and not performing like their typical self.

There's been plenty of discussion about how weak City’s defense has become, and it’s true—they were very exposed during the turnover at Anfield. However, it’s also evident that their attacking power isn’t what it used to be.

Liverpool dominated right from the start, and even during a period in the second half when Manchester City controlled the ball for about 15 minutes, I never got the impression that they were going to find the back of the net or turn the match around.

It must have been incredibly disappointing for Erling Haaland, who hardly had any opportunities to score.

Haaland had the least number of touches among all the players who began the match and only took two shots on target.

Haaland has managed to find the net just twice in his last eight league matches, yet he remains the leading scorer in the Premier League this season. Additionally, he netted two goals in the game against Feyenoord earlier this week.

The solution to City's issues certainly isn't to remove him from the lineup. Rather, they should look for ways to support him more effectively.

Phil Foden and Matheus Nunes struggled to make an impact in the match against Liverpool. Even after Savinho and Jeremy Doku entered the game and managed to get past defenders, they hesitated to deliver crosses into the box for Erling Haaland. I can only imagine how frustrated I would feel waiting for a pass that never arrived.

One other thing I observed on Sunday was that when City was building from the back, they only launched the ball over the top twice throughout the entire match. Instead, Haaland consistently moved closer to the ball and came short.

This makes it much simpler for defenders compared to when they have to turn and sprint toward their own goal. This was the situation for City's defense in the first half when Liverpool was successfully breaking through their lines.

At times, even City's team could benefit from a quick outlet like that. If your forward keeps dropping back too often, it creates pressure when you lose the ball—something they definitely want to avoid given their defensive challenges.

Alan Shearer had a discussion with Chris Bevan from BBC Sport.

Man City must come up with answers following their loss to Liverpool, according to Guardiola.