Liverpool manager Arne Slot has admitted that Arsenal have had a tough start to the season, with his team opening up a large points gap over the Gunners.

As we enter the third international break of the Premier League campaign, Arne Slot’s Liverpool are the clear current favourites for the title.

With a five-point lead over Manchester City and a nine-point lead over Chelsea and Arsenal, Liverpool have had a near-faultless start to the season.

Other than a shock defeat to Nottingham Forest and an away draw with Arsenal, Liverpool have won every league game, every Champions League game, and both of their League Cup fixtures so far.

Yet Slot points out that their fixture list hasn’t been quite as demanding as Arsenal’s so far, perhaps partly explaining their lead.

“It was Mikel [Arteta] who said, and I agree with him completely, they had many, many, many difficult away games already and had to play them with 10 men as well,” Slot told TNT Sports (via afcstuff).

“We had difficult games, but only Man Utd away and Arsenal away as the ones you’d expect to be top six.”

Of the big-six clubs, Liverpool have faced Manchester United (A), Chelsea (H), and Arsenal (A). Arsenal have faced Tottenham Hotspur (A), Manchester City (A), Liverpool (H), and Chelsea (A), leaving just two big-six away games.

On top of that, Arsenal have already taken on away trips against Aston Villa and Newcastle United, with Liverpool still to travel to both stadiums.

Liverpool’s other away games so far have been against Ipswich Town (17th), Wolves (19th), and Crystal Palace (18th). Three ties that Arsenal still have to come.

Whether that’s enough to justify a nine-point gap is another matter.

Liverpool have had the easier fixtures, but they’ve made the most of them, and Arsenal still have to travel to Anfield whilst Liverpool have played at the Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool will play those tricky away ties eventually. It’s up to Arsenal and Mikel Arteta to make sure they’re even still in contention by that point.