Arne Slot had dismissed any suggestions that Liverpool winning against Everton would land any kind of psychological blow on Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

The Reds have the chance to move nine points clear at the top of the table as they finally play their long-awaited game in hand tomorrow night. With Liverpool playing five games over the next 15 days while Arsenal plays just three, many have pinpointed the next couple of weeks as the time when Slot’s side could deliver a decisive blow to their rivals’ title hopes.

Games against Everton, Wolves, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Newcastle will certainly not be an easy task, but should Liverpool win all of them, they will be guaranteed a lead of at least 12 points with just 10 league games to go.

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Slot though doesn’t see the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park as a chance to deliver a potential telling blow to Arsenal’s chances.

“For me it is not about psychology,” said Slot. “For me it is about having nine points or six points, that is the difference, lead against teams who are able to win so many games in a row so psychology, leave it out.

“It is just going to be crucial to have so many points as possible because the teams we face are able to win every single game in the Premier League.

“In the first half of the season, I said many times, judge the league table after 19 games but the thing is, Arsenal now played one more, but if you look at the games they already had - City, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Brighton, I think.

“So they have had quite a lot of teams that are doing really well so that is why it is important to try to extend the lead. That is not going to be easy, obviously.”

Liverpool will be aiming to bounce back following Sunday’s shock FA Cup defeat at the hands of Championship strugglers Plymouth. With their quadruple chances now over, Slot wants to see a response from his players.

“It should have impact because if you are working at a club like this you should compete for every trophy, we've said this from the start, and so to go out at the second occasion, to lose against Plymouth is not acceptable,” he said.

“Us as a team, and I think our fans, are disappointed by that result.

“Now we have to show a different side of us tomorrow because it wasn’t only the result but the performance was far from what Liverpool's standards are as well.”