'When I look': Paul Scholes tips Liverpool as bigger threat than Arsenal as he picks six players with 'wow factor'

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It has been billed as a two-horse race between Manchester City and Arsenal but Paul Scholes feels there is another pedigree stallion to keep an eye on in Arne Slot’s Liverpool.

While it is still early days, the prospect of Jurgen Klopp’s replacement suffering the same fate that befell David Moyes and Unai Emery at Manchester United and Arsenal respectively feels increasingly fanciful.

An off-day against Nottingham Forest aside, the Arne Slot era has started better than even the most optimistic Liverpool fan might have dared to imagine.

Jamie Carragher watched Liverpool hammer West Ham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, a 5-1 hammering made that little bit easier by Edson Alvarez’s foolish red card.

That took Slot’s record to six wins from seven, his prolific Reds side netting 18 goals along the way.

And Paul Scholes, discussing this season’s Premier League title race with Anfield icon Carragher, cannot shake the feeling that Liverpool could turn what some have dubbed a straight fight between Arsenal and Man City into a three-way tussle.

Paul Scholes explains why Liverpool have the edge over Arsenal

The former Manchester United midfielder believes that the forward players at Slot’s disposal could give Liverpool the edge over Arsenal in particular.

Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota came into the team and netted twice apiece against West Ham. There was also a first Liverpool start for a certain Italy international.

Carragher felt Federico Chiesa showed glimpses of his old Juventus best as he set up Jota to cancel out Jarrel Quansah’s early own goal.

Mo Salah and Luis Diaz dropped out of Slot’s XI, meanwhile, in midweek. Add those five to the often profligate but occasionally-outstanding Darwin Nunez, and Liverpool have a frontline not only brimming with depth but also boasting an impressive array of profiles.

TBR understands that Liverpool remain keen on Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo Goes too.

“I think Liverpool might have something to say about it [in the title race],” says Scholes, a 13-time Premier League champion under Sir Alex Ferguson.

“When I look at them, when you mention the forward players [at Arsenal] and then I look at the Liverpool forward players… They’ve got five or six.”

Now, Arsenal’s frontline is certainly nothing to be sniffed out. The loan signing of Raheem Sterling – adding extra competition across the attack – could yet prove to be an inspired bit of business.

But with Gabriel Jesus still out of sorts – he failed to find the net as an Ethan Nwaneri-inspired Arsenal thrashed Bolton Wanderers 5-1 in the Carabao Cup – and Gabriel Martinelli mustering only one goal contribution in his last 19 appearances, Mikel Arteta could be forgiven for glancing over at Slot’s attacking options with a degree of envy.

Scholes feels lack of defensive depth is Liverpool’s only weakness

Scholes, meanwhile, watched Liverpool smash his beloved Man United 3-0 at Old Trafford back at the start of September.

Diaz scored two that day, while Salah maintained his quite staggering record at Old Trafford with the clincher early in the second-half.

“Seeing Liverpool first-hand that day, I thought; ‘Wow, what a squad of players that is’,” Scholes sighs. “I don’t see many weaknesses. The only one we thought about was maybe [Virgil] Van Dijk or [Ibrahima] Konate getting injured in the centre-half position.

“I just see a squad of players I see those five or six midfield players… All of them can run, they are all athletes. They have all got great quality.

“And then any three of the six forwards can play. Honestly, the only worry was that Forest game, that threw me.”

Liverpool will look to maintain Slot’s flying start away to a struggling Wolves outfit on Saturday evening.