Liverpool travel to play table-toppers Arsenal on Thursday night as they attempt to close the gap at the Premier League summit.
Arne Slot in front of a Sky Sports camera.
Arne Slot has admitted that Liverpool are not looking at the title race.
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Liverpool boss Arne Slot has admitted that he is not expecting to be in the Premier League title race at the end of the season, with concentration instead on securing a Champions League spot. After lifting the title last season, the Reds have so far endured a difficult defence.
Slot's side currently sit in fourth place in the standings, 14 points behind leaders Arsenal. That gap could be either increased or decreased on Thursday night with Liverpool travelling to the Emirates Stadium.
As well as looking ahead, the Reds may too be looking over their shoulder with Brentford, Newcastle, Manchester United, Chelsea and Fulham all within three points of them. However, while there is no doubt for Slot where focus now should be, he has stopped short of completely writing off his side’s title chances.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "It's never nice to say that a title race is gone because you never know what can happen in football, but there are a lot of clubs in between us and the number one.
"Two other clubs, [Aston] Villa and also City, I think at this moment in time we're 14 points behind Arsenal.
"So the last thing we should talk about at this moment in time is the title race. Our first focus now is on top-four, top-five finish to qualify for the Champions League and all of the other things we can still play for, the Champions League, the FA Cup.
Arne Slot applauds Liverpool's fans.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has chatted about the title race.
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"If something happens that no-one would expect and probably never has happened before, then will we try to make sure, or we make sure that we are ready for that."
The biggest points overhaul to win the title was completed by Arsenal back in the 1997/98 season. In December 1997, the Gunners found themselves 13 points behind Man Utd.
A 10-match winning streak, including a victory over their title rivals, saw them close the gap and be crowned as champions five months later.
Liverpool will hope to give Arsenal a taste of their own medicine in the second half of the current season.
They would, however, have to go one better, with the point deficit one more than Arsenal's was.
Following the clash against the Gunners, Liverpool have a break from Premier League action when they host League One side Barnsley in the third round of the FA Cup, on Monday night. They return to league action on Saturday, January 17 against relegation-threatened Burnley.