HANG TEN: Reds’ Slot parks celebrations with 13-point gap at the top of EPL and 10 games to go

WITH fans going bos at Anfield on Wednesday night after Liverpool opened up a 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League standings, coach Arne Slot says they must wait to pop the champers.

The Reds beat Liverpool 2-0 on the night thanks to strikes from Dominik Szobozlai and Alexis Mac Allister and with Arsenal playing to a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest, it means the Reds opened up a 13-point gap with 10 games to go ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup break.

When asked when he might see a glimmer of light, however, Slot says: “Indeed, it’s still a long way to go, 10 games, and we have the [League Cup] final of course and two very important games against Paris St Germain, so we’re not focused on the long term.

“And now I think the players have two days off, so Saturday, we go back and focus on Paris St Germain more than we focus on the league table in the Premier League.”

Liverpool, who topped the Champions League table after the eight-game league phase, head to Paris to play PSG in the first leg of their last-16 tie next Wednesday.

Slot’s men have been a picture of consistency, undefeated in 27 of their 28 league matches this season. Wednesday’s victory was their 32nd in 43 games across all competitions, the most victories by a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

In-form Szoboszlai agrees with Slot that there is no room for breathing easy yet.

Szoboszlai says: “After mathematically they [Arsenal] do not have any chance to get us. We’re really happy that we are 13 points clear but we just focus on ourselves. We have Champions League coming up so we have to focus on that too. We are looking forward to staying at the top of the table.”

Liverpool’s next league game is against Southampton next week.