How good are Liverpool?

I’m trying to work out just how good this Liverpool team is. Good? Yes. Very good? Yes - I think so. Better than very good? A team eight points clear of its nearest rival - with a game in hand - and nine of the team in third you’d usually say ‘yes’, but I’m not sure. 

They looked terrific at West Ham, but the home team were abject, so I’m not sure we can draw too many conclusions. 

I should add that the CL table says they’re the best team in Europe right now as well. 

Arne Slot has already proven himself to be smart and flexible and he’s allayed my one big pre-season fear - that he’d turn Liverpool into another dull pass-fest outfit. 

We should never forget that Jurgen Klopp left this team behind when he walked away, having done all the re-building that Guardiola is now faced with at City, so he takes a great deal of credit for what’s happening now. 

But is the current side as good as Klopp’s original? No. Not for me. Let’s not forget those players won a title and in the two seasons they came up short it was only by a point behind a record haul by a very very good City. They also won the CL. 

Of course this current crop need to mature and that can only happen with time, but I don’t think they’re being pushed. I don’t think it’s a very good league this season. 

Arsenal have gone back. City are miles off. So are Spurs. I can’t see Forest continuing as they are, but fair play to Nuno - he’s done a fantastic job at the City Ground. 

The only other team that have made progress are Chelsea and I don’t see them as genuine title challengers. On their day they can be impressive, but as Fulham proved, they’re still flimsy. 

So it’s Liverpool’s title barring a dramatic fall off and I guess time will ultimately decide how good they are. 

On the subject of West Ham - how clever Karen and co must be wishing they hadn’t treated David Moyes with so much contempt. 

I guess it was only right Fulham and Bournemouth shared the points at the Cottage - they’ve both been a pleasure to watch so far. 

As for United and Reuben Interim. What on earth was he thinking when he started talking about relegation in his most recent press conference? Is he serious? If he is he should keep his thoughts do himself. Or is he actually trying to get the sack? 

Interim is clearly one of a new breed of arrogant coaches that believe they’re always right and the rest of us are wrong - so there’s no flexibility - it’s his way - 3-box-3 - or no way. 

I mentioned this last week. Don’t be a fool Reuben. Find a system that suits the players you’ve got and start winning some games. So far all he’s done is make United worse. 

And what a shambles of a year it’s been under Sunny Jim and the brains trust. They’ve stumbled from one bad decision to the next - the most recent being the cancellation of funds to X- players facing hardship - their own charity. 

Is Sunny Jim really as inept as I’ve been suggesting? I was actually hoping I was wrong - but I’m not. The only reason he’s getting away with all his penny-pinching nonsense right now can only be because the United faithful are so weary. 

I had to laugh at this headline ‘fans are left shocked as Haaland swears in post-match interview’. Oh fuck off. Grow up. Here’s my headline ‘grown man says shit during sports channel interview’. So what? 

Why is there always a melt-down on this channel, and in the press, if a mic picks up a player or a fan swearing? It’s a sports channel ffs. It’s going to happen. 

I can turn any ‘entertainment’ channel on any time of the day and night to find the likes of Jonathan Ross trying to make people laugh by simply swearing. Why is that ok and yet the odd expletive on a sports channel isn’t? It’s ridiculous. 

Did you see Jaoa Pedro get away with that flailing elbow? That was as clear a red as you’ll ever see. It was violent conduct - and to be clear law 12.3 states there doesn’t have to be contact for it to be so. 

Except ref Andy Madley and Chris Kavanagh in VAR saw differently. And the PGMOL released a statement that read ‘the referees call of no red card to Jaoa Pedro for violent conduct was checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed the referee’s call was not clear and obviously wrong’. Why was it checked then? And clearly it was. 

As for the 3’40” it took to incorrectly disallow Gakpo’s goal v Brighton - can I ask why is it we’re still using wax crayons and rulers to make these decisions? They’re not accurate. Where is the semi-automated technology we were promised?