Liverpool manager Arne Slot is firmly on course for a debut double in his first season in England as his side creeps closer to a commanding Premier League triumph.
The Anfield outfit currently sit 12 points clear of second-placed Arsenal with just nine games remaining, having lost just once in the league all season while Mohamed Salah tops the charts for both goals and assists across the division.
However, a dark cloud looms over the club as they look to capture their second title in five years with the immediate futures of three key players still yet to be resolved.
Arne Slot takes strong stance against Liverpool contract situation
Salah, Trent Alexander Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are arguably the three most impactful players in this season’s prospective title-winning side, although all three see their current deals expire this summer.
Rumours continue to swirl regarding the English right back, who ranked at no.11 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best players in the world right now, in particular as a move to Real Madrid edges closer to completion, much to the dismay of the Liverpool fanbase.
Despite the noise surrounding the trio, Slot himself was keen to reiterate that the noise would not distract his side from the task at hand as they enter the final knockings of their campaign.
“His situation is unfortunately that he is injured,” Slot said when asked about Alexander-Arnold’s future.
“Otherwise people would have spoken that he had one or two brilliant performances for the England team.
“But he is injured and for him that means he is fully focused on his recovery. For us it means we will try to help him to be back as soon as he can.
“And for the rest, for eight months it went a bit up and down with talks about him, Virgil or Mo, but we have never been focused on those talks, we have always been focused on what we have to do, and for Virgil and Mo that is trying to win the Merseyside derby and for Trent it is trying to be fit as soon as he can.”
Liverpool welcome Everton to Anfield in their next Premier League game looking to avenge the controversial 2-2 draw at Goodison Park having suffered catastrophic defeats in the Champions League and Carabao Cup in recent weeks.
