Trent Alexander-Arnold gives honest assessment of Liverpool's Premier League title chances ahead of huge Manchester City clash

Jurgen Klopp’s side secured a historic Premier League crown back in 2019-20 and have finished as runners-up on two other occasions in the last five campaigns. They slipped out of the top four last season, but have rediscovered a spark to sit second again – one point off the summit – ahead of a crunch clash with City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Alexander-Arnold has said of the collective mindset at Anfield heading into another heavyweight duel with City: “Being in three campaigns where we’d have won the league if it wasn’t for City - we won one but went close in two more - you get a feeling for what you know you are capable of doing. Looking around the dressing room, looking at the players we have got, the team, the spirit, the vibe around the team, that [challenging for the league] is something that we feel is achievable. Our aim as a team is to win the league and that's the aim again this season. Last season wasn't good enough. But challenging is something that we believe we can achieve, that is where our sights are at.”

Liverpool have had to freshen up their squad in recent transfer windows, after parting with the likes of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, and Alexander-Arnold believes they are well placed to claim another top-flight title. He added: “If that wasn’t the case, I would be here saying, ‘I want to get back in the top four.’ Because, genuinely, there is nothing wrong with that for this team. There is a rebuild going on, and new players and a lot of senior players have left, it would be very normal to say, ‘get back in the top four and push on from there’. But so far we've performed in a way that is how you would expect someone who can win the league to perform and if we carry this on we should be in and around it come May.

“Right now we have put ourselves in a good position, we have built a great foundation - it is just about consistency. That’s the hardest thing in football, but we have shown that we are more than capable of doing it. I think the players who are experienced in being successful with the club all understand what it takes and what's needed to even challenge a team like City. It was about getting that message across as quickly as possible to the new players and young players coming in. Our ambition is to be as successful as possible and to maximise the potential we have got as a team and as a club. At the start of last season it was the same as at the start of this season: our ambition was to win the league.”

Liverpool have suffered only one defeat through 12 games this season, picking up 27 points, but have not won away at City in the Premier League since November 2015.