Ally McCoist has already changed his stance on the Premier League title race just three games into the new season.
Defending champions Liverpool remain top of the table and two points clear of Arsenal after winning their first five games of the league season.
However, Arne Slot’s side have shown signs of vulnerability after suffering back-to-back defeats to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray in recent days.
The Reds splashed the cash in the summer, breaking the British transfer record on two occasions with the signings of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.
And while it remains early days, Liverpool appear to having some teething issues as they seek to find a balanced set-up with all their new additions.
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Prior to the start of the season, McCoist suggested that Liverpool’s ambitious recruitment drive over the summer made them favourites to retain the title this season.
But the former Scotland international insisted he now has a sneaking suspicion that Arsenal could finally end their title drought this year.
Mikel Arteta’a side have only lost once this season, against Liverpool at Anfield, and continued their impresive start with a comfortable 2-0 win over Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
‘At the start of the season when we did our predictions, I fancied Liverpool – I really did,’ McCoist told talkSPORT. ‘I thought with the window they had, they strengthened really well.
‘But bizzarely after Szoboszlai scored that goal to beat Arsenal, I have a sneaky feeling for Arsenal.
‘I just think defensively, I look at the two centre-backs, even Mosquera that came on, I like him, David Raya is good goalie.
‘I just worry about Liverpool if they lost Alisson and particularly Van Dijk. I think we’re in for a brilliant season.’
Liverpool face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as they look to get back to winning ways, but will be without their Brazilian keeper after Alisson picked up a knock in midweek.
And former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that Slot should look to make other changes as well to get his side back to their title-winning form of last season.
‘Right now, I don’t think the balance of the team is right and the obvious one that stands out is Florian Wirtz – he’s just not at the races at all,’ Carragher told CBS Sports.
‘He’s a young boy coming into a new league and he’s got plenty of time to go as a Liverpool player, but right now I think he needs to come out of the team, Liverpool get back to where they were last season and then go from there and try and build some confidence and defensive solidity because right now it is a mess.
‘It’s not the losses, it’s not the defeats, it’s the performances. And this has been coming from day one. Liverpool got battered by Newcastle in the second half of that game, and Newcastle had 10 men. That cannot happen.
‘Crystal Palace created seven big chances, which is more than any team has conceded in a game this season and Liverpool are the champions. This is not a shock, it’s been coming. And the manager needs to fix it.’