Harry Redknapp and Chris Sutton disagree on Liverpool chances as Pep Guardiola suspicion raised

While no-one associated with Liverpool will be getting ahead of themselves, Arne Slot's side could hardly be in a better position. Going into the international break, they sit top of the Premier League.

But it's the five-point advantage they hold over the side in second, faltering defending champions Manchester City, that could prove all important in the title race.

While City have gone down to back-to-back league defeats and last season's runners-up Arsenal have picked up just two points from the last possible 12 on offer, Liverpool simply cannot stop winning - it's now 15 from 17 in all competitions under new head coach Slot - and their start to the season should be ominous to their biggest rivals.

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That's because no team in Premier League history has been at least five points clear after 11 matches and failed to go and win the championship.

For Harry Redknapp, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager, it is now the Reds' title to lose.

He made the claim while selecting his Premier League Team of the Week for BetVictor. Redknapp said: "There’s nothing else to say about Virgil van Dijk that hasn’t been said before, what a player.

"Liverpool have been so solid this season and every week it’s that pairing of Ibrahima Konate and Van Dijk that dominate. It’s looking like Liverpool’s title to lose, and their captain has been superb so far this season."

The Reds have kept nine clean sheets in 17 games and Redknapp selected another of their defenders in his Team of the Week after the 2-0 home win over Aston Villa that opened up a commanding advantage at the summit.

"I thought Andy Robertson was brilliant against Aston Villa," said Redknapp. "We all know what a great servant he’s been for Liverpool, but he hasn’t quite been at his best this season and Kostas Tsimikas has been threatening the position.

"He was up and down the pitch all game and Villa didn’t really get a look in down Robertson's side."

Liverpool will return to action on Sunday, November 24 with a trip to rock-bottom Southampton. Given City face a tricky home clash with bogey side Tottenham Hotspur the day before, there is the potential for the gap between the two teams to be bigger before they meet in a blockbusting encounter at Anfield on Sunday, December 1

Redknapp's fellow pundit Chris Sutton would like to see the Reds, or Arsenal or Chelsea, who are nine points off top spot, win the league after an unprecedented four seasons of dominance from Pep Guardiola's men.

But the 1995 Premier League title winner is not ruling City out of the running despite the start Liverpool and Slot have made since the departure of Jurgen Klopp.

"He’s (Slot) taken over from one of the greatest managers the Premier League has ever seen and he’s got them into gear and playing well really quickly,” said Sutton on the BBC's Football Daily podcast.

“Would I make them (Liverpool) favourites? No. I’m still going to go with Manchester City but I hope they don’t win it.

"Nothing against them it is just that I’m bored with them winning - so I would love to see either Liverpool or Arsenal win it, or even Chelsea, but I do think City will find a way.

"Pep did seem aggravated at the weekend, very aggravated and that I can only suspect is a good thing.”