Arne Slot and Liverpool star running risk of missing crunch Man City title clash
Liverpool will host Manchester City next weekend but if Arne Slot or Alexis Mac Allister pick up cautions at Southampton then both men will have to miss the game at Anfield
by Samuel Meade · The MirrorArne Slot and Alexis Mac Allister face the threat of missing out on Liverpool's upcoming game with Manchester City.
In a week's time the two teams will meet at Anfield but any misdemeanours at Southampton this Sunday could mean some key figures are absent at Anfield. Slot is the most worrying of those with the Dutchman already receiving two yellow cards this season.
Another at St Mary's would leave Liverpool without their manager on the touchline when the champions come to town next week.
Their Argentine World Cup winner is also operating on thin ice having picked up four yellow cards in the opening months of the season. Should he get cautioned at Southampton then he too would be unavailable for the clash against City.
By the time the game comes round Liverpool could have a mammoth eight-point advantage after just 12 outings. Slot has made light work of replacing Jurgen Klopp with the Reds looking back to their best as they adapt to the style implemented by their new coach.
The Merseysiders have won nine of their 11 games prior to taking on the Premier League's basement outfit. A victory will see them further extend their lead ahead of hosting the champions at Anfield with the Manchester outfit in disarray - the type of which we haven't seen.
Pep Guardiola's team have now lost five games on the bounce, including their last three in the league. Their latest defeat came at the Etihad as Tottenham ran riot, securing a 4-0 win as City appeared to have few answers.
Despite everything appearing to go in their favour Slot has poured water on any talk of Liverpool landing the title before December even comes around - citing City's ability to overhaul a huge points gaps.
“I don’t talk about favourites,” he said. “It is boring but I just talk about the next game, which is a challenge in itself. In the Premier League the margins are very small. That is true all season. I have followed the league and there was a moment when City were eight points behind Arsenal, so there is no use in getting carried away at all at this moment in time."
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