Liverpool are closing in on the Premier League title having twice extended their lead over Arsenal, leaving Gary Neville to sing Arne Slot’s praises after he forced a U-turn

Gary Neville has praised how Liverpool have approached the title race this season (Image: YouTube/@TheOverlapUS)

Gary Neville has effectively ruled Arsenal out of the Premier League title race after praising Liverpool’s “title-winning performance”.

It’s been a fruitful week for Arne Slot, who can now enjoy a rare weekend without a game after securing a 2-0 away win against Manchester City and replicating that result against Newcastle United at Anfield in midweek. Meanwhile, Arsenal’s slip-ups, dropping five points in the same timeframe, have given the Reds a 13-point lead at the top with 11 matches remaining for the Gunners.

Yet Neville’s attention wasn’t on Liverpool’s title rivals stumbling. The ex-Manchester United star was captivated by how Slot’s team varied their attack against City.

Reflecting on pivotal victories on the road during his time at United, he said on the It’s Called Soccer podcast: “When I think back to the perfect, big game, away wins late on in a season that sometimes happened for us, that’s how it happened. You were never in control, you didn’t have possession.

“You felt like you were in control in a different way through not having possession, just through being so hard to beat. That performance will not go down in the history books as being the best game of football ever but it really hit home to me that that was a title-winning performance because it was many different things in one.”

Neville, along with several pundits and some of the Liverpool faithful, doubted the Reds would be title contenders after replacing long-serving manager Jurgen Klopp. The Sky Sports pundit initially had Liverpool pegged for a fifth-place finish in Slot’s debut season. However, Neville has owned up to his error and lauded the Liverpool coach for flexibly adapting his playing style.

“It’s a testament to [Slot],” Neville declared. “Absolutely incredible, the transition from Jurgen Klopp, who’s one of the greatest managers the Premier League’s had, and I thought there would be a natural drop-off from Liverpool.

Reflecting on pivotal victories on the road during his time at United, he said on the It’s Called Soccer podcast: “When I think back to the perfect, big game, away wins late on in a season that sometimes happened for us, that’s how it happened. You were never in control, you didn’t have possession.

“You felt like you were in control in a different way through not having possession, just through being so hard to beat. That performance will not go down in the history books as being the best game of football ever but it really hit home to me that that was a title-winning performance because it was many different things in one.”

Neville, along with several pundits and some of the Liverpool faithful, doubted the Reds would be title contenders after replacing long-serving manager Jurgen Klopp. The Sky Sports pundit initially had Liverpool pegged for a fifth-place finish in Slot’s debut season. However, Neville has owned up to his error and lauded the Liverpool coach for flexibly adapting his playing style.

“It’s a testament to [Slot],” Neville declared. “Absolutely incredible, the transition from Jurgen Klopp, who’s one of the greatest managers the Premier League’s had, and I thought there would be a natural drop-off from Liverpool.