Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has delivered a stark reality check to Premier League leaders Arsenal, insisting his side are the true champions ahead of their pivotal clash on Thursday night.
Szoboszlai's Defiant Message to the Gunners
The Hungary international was unequivocal in his assessment, arguing that despite Arsenal's commanding seven-point lead at the summit, Mikel Arteta's side have won nothing yet. The Gunners began Wednesday night's fixtures with a significant cushion over Manchester City, Aston Villa, and the defending champions Liverpool, who trailed by a hefty 14 points.
Speaking on the eve of the high-stakes encounter, Szoboszlai stated: "It's a long way to go. The Premier League is not easy. You don't win it by January." He then turned the narrative on its head, declaring: "So I don't think we are playing against the champions. They're playing against the champions. And that's probably something they know as well, we know as well."
A 'Crazy' Gap But a Game-by-Game Mentality
While acknowledging the sheer scale of the challenge facing Liverpool, Szoboszlai admitted it feels "crazy" to even discuss retaining their title given the current deficit. He pointed to the experience of last season, where under new manager Arne Slot, Liverpool defied expectations to clinch the league.
"Last year when the manager came in, nobody was really thinking we were going to win it," he told Sky Sports. "Now we are so many points behind we can't think in the long-term, we have to think game by game." He emphasised that the immediate focus must be on securing a top-four finish, a stark contrast to their dominant position last February when they were ten points clear.
Slot's Challenging Title Defence
The 2025-26 campaign has been a difficult one for title-winning manager Arne Slot. After a dream debut season, pressure had begun to mount on the Dutchman following a poor start, though recent results have eased some scrutiny.
Szoboszlai conceded that the team had failed to react correctly to setbacks this season, a lesson they needed to learn from rivals Manchester City's past resilience. "Then sometimes comes a little hit and we didn't react in a way that we should," he admitted, stressing the need to rediscover their consistency.
Despite praising Arsenal as an "unbelievable team" and one of the favourites, Szoboszlai's message was clear: the crown still belongs to Liverpool until it is mathematically lost, and Thursday's match at the Emirates is a chance for the true champions to stand up.
