Liverpool Can Move Closer To The Title As Top Five Tension Mounts

Liverpool will look to bounce back from a rare defeat as the runaway Premier League leaders host West Ham on Sunday. Meanwhile Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are embroiled in a tense battle to qualify for the Champions League. Let's take a look at three talking points ahead of this weekend's action:

Liverpool not 'complacent'

Having sucked any drama out of the title race weeks ago, Liverpool suffered a rare defeat against Fulham last weekend that sparked accusations the leaders are getting complacent.

Arne Slot's side lost their 26-match unbeaten league run in an error-strewn 3-2 loss at Craven Cottage that bore little resemblance to the team that had marched relentlessly towards their first title since 2020.

But despite their second league defeat this season, Liverpool have an 11-point lead over second-placed Arsenal with just seven games left.

It would take an astonishing collapse for the Reds not to claim a record-equalling 20th English crown and Slot is convinced his players remain firmly focused on getting the job done as soon as possible.

"I think there is no reason for us to be complacent," Slot said ahead of West Ham's visit to Anfield.

"I think everyone that has seen our games knows that it takes us so much effort, so much hard work to win.

"The team that won the league in the last four seasons were already 3-0 up at half-time almost every single game they played. That is not the way for us."

Top five race hots up

With five places in next season's Champions League now available to English clubs, the race for those lucrative berths is set to go down to the wire.

Third-placed Nottingham Forest, who host Everton on Saturday, hope to reach Europe's elite club competition