Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah proven right about Arsenal after facing backlash

It hasn't taken long, but it would appear Mohamed Salah has already been proven right by his pre-season prediction. Salah entered the campaign on the back of a stellar season with champions Liverpool, but things haven't necessarily gone to plan for the forward this time around.

Liverpool have lost each of their last two league matches (three including the Champions League) with Arne Slot and co. beginning to feel the pressure. The Reds' most recent defeat against Chelsea saw them slip off the top of the table, with Arsenal, on a run of four wins across all competitions, taking advantage of their mistake.

The recent run of form from both teams has seen a change in the odds as well, with Arsenal now the favourites to win the Premier League title at the end of the season.

It's something that Salah predicted would be the case after just a couple of games this season, with the Egyptian having been impressed by the Gunners' transfer business. He explained: "That team, I have said it a few times. Today and also at the PFA Awards, I said they are the favourites because they have a team that has played [together] for five, six years.

"So, they understand each other's game. And, they also have a manager [who's been there] for five, six years. When the team's stuck together for that long, they know each other's game, so it becomes easier for them. But other teams like [ours] and [Manchester] City, [we keep] changing a lot of players, which is sometimes tricky. But again, teams with Pep Guardiola, they are always the favourites. But of course, my opinion is this year Arsenal are number one."

Liverpool fans will be hoping their talisman isn't right on this occasion and that the Merseysiders can find some fluency to come from behind to secure back-to-back titles, but on current form, Slot's side look anything but championship contenders. Their credentials will be put to the test in the first game back after the international break, with Manchester United the visitors to Anfield - a fixture Liverpool haven't lost in since 2016.

After that, a difficult set of fixtures appears to be on the horizon for Liverpool, with matches against Eintracht Frankfurt, Brentford, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Real Madrid and Manchester City to come across three different competitions ahead of the November international break.