Liverpool Star Delivers Ominous Warning to Arsenal Before Epic Title Clash
Liverpool's midfield star Dominik Szoboszlai has cautioned Arsenal that claiming the Premier League title remains a distant goal despite their current position.
The North London club currently holds a five-point advantage at the summit and could extend that margin to eight points following Manchester City's stumble against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday—their third consecutive league stalemate. However, Arsenal must first navigate past Liverpool to achieve this.
Both teams face significant pressure heading into this encounter. Arsenal seeks to establish their dominance in English football, while Liverpool aims to reclaim their standing after a devastating period between September and November that virtually eliminated their title defense hopes.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Szoboszlai, who has featured in various positions under Arne Slot throughout 2025–26, emphasized that Arsenal faces the reigning Premier League champions on Thursday, not vice versa.
"There's still a considerable journey ahead," Szoboszlai stated. "The Premier League presents enormous challenges and titles aren't secured by January, I believe [when facing the champions]. They're confronting the champions. They understand this too—they're among the contenders and possess an exceptional squad with remarkable talent.
"They mustn't overlook [Manchester] City and [Aston] Villa, who are performing excellently. No, we're not facing the champions; they're facing the champions."
Szoboszlai: Liverpool Must Defeat Arsenal
Regarding league positioning, Liverpool faces the greatest urgency. With one match in hand compared to their rivals, Slot's squad occupies fourth place, trailing Aston Villa by nine points while maintaining just a single-point cushion over fifth-place Brentford. Tenth-placed Sunderland sits merely four points behind Liverpool.
Szoboszlai recognizes Liverpool's altered circumstances this campaign and acknowledged they must concentrate solely on securing victory in their immediate fixture—beginning with Arsenal.
"It's remarkable because reflecting on last season, we held a 10-point lead by February and I still maintained we hadn't clinched it," he explained. "But internally, I felt this was our opportunity.
"Currently, given our significant deficit, long-term planning isn't feasible. We can discuss aspirations, but our focus must remain match-by-match, demonstrating our capability to secure top-four qualification. We require favorable circumstances, so why not?
"When the manager arrived last season, nobody anticipated our championship prospects, yet we began strongly and maintained momentum.
Liverpool Cannot Plan Beyond Immediate Future
"If questioned, most wouldn't have predicted our success with minimal expectations. We started positively with fortune favoring us, proving our readiness once more. Sometimes setbacks occur and responses fall short, as witnessed with City last season.
"Recognition of objectives becomes crucial. Match-by-match approach is essential as extended planning isn't viable.
"The situation is challenging yet differs from other clubs. This represents exactly what you desire when joining the world's premier clubs—embracing pressure regardless of results. We must manage this responsibility.
"Identifying solutions isn't my responsibility. Our club employs numerous individuals to address issues, and I'm confident they will succeed. Each player harbors personal thoughts, but these remain private. We'll develop collectively because we represent Liverpool, England's champions."