Liverpool head coach Arne Slot continued to play down the significance of their place at the top of the Premier League despite it being strengthened by their 3-1 win over Leicester.
Chelsea’s surprise defeat by Fulham meant victory over the Foxes stretched their lead to seven points, with a match in hand, with the halfway point of the campaign fast approaching.
But Slot is maintaining his level-headed approach despite the clamour growing around their chances of adding another title to the one won in 2020.
“If you are in this game for a long time like the players and I am then 20 games before the end you don’t look at it as there are so many challenges ahead of you,” he said after Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah scored to turn around an early deficit following Jordan Ayew’s strike.
“Injuries and and a bit of bad luck can happen to any team, it is far too early to be already celebrating – but it is nice for us to be where we are.
“I don’t think there was any easy win for us in any of these games; it could have been an easy win against Tottenham but we conceded two and it was then 5-2 – that tells you how difficult it is to win even when you have all your players available.
“That is why we have to take it one game at a time. The league table is something of course we are aware of but we always understand how many games there are to go.”
Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy felt his side held their own until Salah scored in the 82nd minute.
“I think we were in the contest for a result for a long time,” he said.
“Three-one was the turning point in the sense the game was done there to get a result.
“I think the 60th minute I remember a chanced for Daka to score the equaliser so we were in the game to get a surprising result.
“We did well, we did what we could: a good start with the goal but if you speak of a turning point, 3-1 with Salah, the game was done.”
Van Nistelrooy left goalkeeper Danny Ward out of the squad after he struggled in the defeat to Wolves and was jeered by his own fans.
“The change in goal was one to make and the conversation with Wardy was impressive, the way he was thinking of the team and the club,” added the Dutchman.
“I insisted on a conversation and of course it is a private conversation but what I want to share is the person and the professional he is.
“I was impressed with that and his willingness for the team and the club to do well.
“Really tough what happened for him. We are professionals but human beings as well, when frustration is being directed towards one person that is difficult.”