'Everyone's guilty' - Liverpool Premier League title claim made amid 'crazy' admission

Liverpool have been told it is "crazy" they were dismissed by many as Premier League title contenders this season. And Arne Slot has been praised for the "magnificent" job he has done in succeeding Jurgen Klopp as Reds boss.

Going into the latest round of games, Slot's side had opened up a five-point lead at the top of the table from champions Manchester City with Arsenal, last season's runners-up, a further four points adrift.

Liverpool will hope to continue their good form when they travel to rock-bottom Southampton on Sunday afternoon. And former Tottenham Hotspur boss Tim Sherwood, who skippered Blackburn Rovers to the championship back in 1995, believes people were too quick to ignore the title claims of the Reds.

READ MORE: Federico Chiesa makes Liverpool return as Arne Slot welcomes back two more players

READ MORE: Liverpool have thrown critics' words back at them - but what happens next will be telling

"Arne Slot has done a magnificent job, and the transition looks seamless; it looks like he's kept all of the boys happy, and ready to go and lift silverware again," he said.

"Remember, we are talking about a team who have won the Premier League, and the Champions League. It's crazy, really, that so many people disregarded them at the start of the season - everyone's guilty of it; no one really thought they were going to win it, and I don't know why we all felt like that, because they've done it. They've been there, course and distance, and they've still got magnificent players.

"And they've got younger players, like Curtis Jones, who almost look reborn under the new manager. His position has been tweaked a little; it looks like he's driving forward from that midfield area, and Ryan Gravenberch has been pulled back a little. The manager is very astute; it looks like he's working well with the group, and he's getting the best out of every single player."

Sherwood, who was speaking at the launch of Ladbrokes' 'Gaffer of all Accas', believes Arsenal and City remain very much a title threat to Liverpool.

"The title race is wide open, but there's only three teams in it: Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal," he said. "Any of those teams can win it - but I really couldn't pick a winner at this stage.

"You can't discount Arsenal at this stage, but their discipline really has affected them. I don't think they lose the game at Bournemouth, without William Saliba getting sent off. Declan Rice kicking the ball away against Brighton is another one which I think they'd have gone on to win right there... you take those points back, and they're right in the race.

"Man City need their players back as quickly as possible, otherwise this title race could get beyond them. They need their players fit, and a lot of accountability has to go to their medical team - the same as Arsenal - to produce, here.

"Look, they can't go and throw players out there, back onto the field, if they're not fit. But they have to try and rehab these players as quickly as possible, to try and get them back out there, because any more dropped points for Man City, and it might be too late for them to catch Liverpool."