"They've been gifted six points" - Paul Merson claims Liverpool should be 'mid-table' for their performances in the PL this season

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has questioned Liverpool's flawless start to the 2025-26 Premier League campaign. The Arsenal legend believes Arne Slot and Co. should be mid-table based on their performances to date, and have been gifted six points.

Despite not playing at their usual level, Liverpool have won all four of their league fixtures this season and are at the top of the table with 12 points. They are currently three points above second-placed Arsenal and look poised to retain their title.

However, the Reds have had to dig deep to secure each of their wins. They left it late to defeat Bournemouth 4-2 in their season opener (August 16). Rio Ngumoha then netted in the 10th minute of stoppage time to secure a thrilling 3-2 win over 10-man Newcastle United (August 26).

Liverpool next hosted Arsenal at Anfield on August 31. However, they struggled against the Gunners' defense, sealing the win via Dominik Szoboszlai's outstanding free-kick from over 30 yards out. The Reds most recently secured a narrow 1-0 win over 10-man Burnley following Mohamed Salah's penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time (September 14).

In his latest column for Sky Sports, Merson wrote:

"I'm unsure about Liverpool. They should be mid-table. They've been gifted six points. They never looked like scoring against Arsenal, Newcastle last kick of the game, then Burnley a penalty in stoppage time. What Hannibal Mejbri is doing there I do not know. You could take six points off Liverpool and no one would have argued. No one would say 'oh that's a bit harsh, they were bang unlucky'. All three should have ended up as draws, and they would be mid-table."

He added:

"I'm not convinced yet. There is a lot of work for Arne Slot to do. I don't think this Florian Wirtz one is working. I like Wirtz, a terrific player, but teams are sitting back against Liverpool and it's so claustrophobic for him. Their midfield three, for me, won them the league last year. I thought Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Szoboszlai were outstanding for long parts, dominating midfields - I don't see that this season. Teams are getting at Liverpool."

"Alexander Isak has got to come in, you can have all the best players in the world but if they don't gel, it doesn't work. So they could be mid-table, but you could also say they haven't started playing yet and they have won every game. That's the sign of a very good team."

The Reds have become the first club in Premier League history to win four games in a row due to the winning goal being scored in the final 10 minutes or later.

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"Definitely a chance" - Arne Slot provides response when asked if Alexander Isak will feature for Liverpool in UCL clash vs Atletico Madrid

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has claimed that Alexander Isak has a high chance of making his debut against Atletico Madrid. The two sides are set to face each other in the UEFA Champions League group stage on Wednesday, September 17.

Isak was excluded from the matchday squad during the Reds' 1-0 win over Burnley over the weekend due to fitness concerns. However, he could make his debut as during the Atletico Madrid pre-match press conference, Slot said (via Liverpool's official website):

“There is definitely a chance, because he is in the squad. Then there is a chance to play. Normally I would say 99.9 per cent sure, but I can say it’s 100 per cent sure he will not play 90 minutes. But he is part of the squad. It is already a Champions League game to look forward to but if people look forward to his playing time, that could mean that could happen tomorrow as well. The only thing that is sure is he will not play 90, and all the rest you will see tomorrow.”

After weeks of negotiations, the Merseysiders completed the signing of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United on September 1 for a British-record transfer fee of £125 million.