An unexpected pause for breath during a remarkable Liverpool campaign. And with it a chance to assess exactly how the Reds have been faring in the Premier League under Arne Slot.

Given they stood seven points clear at the summit after 14 games ahead of the postponed Merseyside derby at Goodison on Saturday lunchtime, the initial thought would be the new head coach has surpassed all early expectations since taking over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer.

There is, though, a sense among some that the position is something of a false one for Liverpool given the fixture schedule compared to their title rivals.

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What, though, do the numbers actually tell us?

The easiest way to judge progress is to compare results this season compared to those in the respective fixture in the previous campaign. While there are obvious changes - the promoted teams of Championship winners Leicester City, runners-up Ipswich Town and play-off victors Southampton replace Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton Town - it's arguably the most accurate barometer.

And perhaps the most surprising thing is that Liverpool so far this term are only marginally ahead of what they produced last season.

While the draw at Newcastle United in midweek represented two points dropped and a win at home to Nottingham Forest last season became a defeat this time around, otherwise the Reds have turned draws at Manchester United and at home to Manchester City into wins and a defeat at Arsenal into a draw.

Throw in a victory at Southampton, which last season was a draw at Luton, and Liverpool have gained two more points than from comparative fixtures in the previous campaign.

The story is a different for their two main title rivals. Arsenal are four points worse off - hampered by the defeat at Bournemouth and home draw to Brighton, despite gaining revenge for last season's defeat at Aston Villa - while Manchester City have gained five fewer points, primarily through losses at Bournemouth and Brighton.

The big winners, though, are second-placed Chelsea who are a whopping eight points up on their respective tally last season.

It's interesting, then, what this says about the next raft of games that take the Premier League campaign up to the halfway point. Including the Goodison derby, Liverpool last season took only seven points from what would have been their scheduled next five games. Arsenal and City, however, both took 12 while Chelsea earned seven.

If that indicates the gap at the top will likely close further over the next month, it also highlights clear opportunities where Liverpool - who lost at Tottenham Hotspur and drew at West Ham United last season - can continue their gradual improvement over the coming weeks.

Maintain a healthy advantage, and what is now a game in hand at Everton could become a joker in their Premier League title challenge.