The reigning champions are now under intense scrutiny after their recent defeat at Brentford, which has raised significant concerns across the board.

Wayne Rooney, during his BBC podcast, expressed doubts about the current form of Liverpool’s key players, Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah. He remarked that if he were in the shoes of Arne Slot or a supporter of the team, he would be seriously worried about the ongoing situation.

The fact that van Dijk has been used as an emergency striker in the last two Premier League games suggests that Liverpool might be running out of tactical solutions. This is particularly concerning for Slot, whose strategic adjustments and substitutions in his first season were instrumental in securing the championship.

Consider this perspective: without pivotal moments from Federico Chiesa and Salah against Bournemouth, or Rio Ngumoha’s contribution at Newcastle, Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning goal against Arsenal, or Salah’s penalty at Burnley, Liverpool would have been languishing with just seven points, sitting in 17th place. It’s a stark reality check.

Mohamed Salah and Federico Chiesa rescued Liverpool against Bournemouth early on

Naïve Yamal needs help

Just as predictably as Monday leads to Tuesday, the latest El Clasico ended with the usual flurry of pushing, shoving, and verbal exchanges. Whenever Barcelona and Real Madrid face off, tensions run high, though seasoned Sunday League spectators might dismiss the scuffle as mere antics.

Yet, there’s much to delve into, particularly the spotlight on Lamine Yamal, who seemed to have been chided by Dani Carvajal for being too outspoken after the young talent accused Madrid of ‘stealing and complaining’ before the highly anticipated match.

There is a desire to see Yamal become the next generational talent but there are concerns about how he is being managed. He has stopped signing autographs, having done a deal so that his signature can only be bought, and you wonder whether the team around him have his best interests at heart.

‘I have doubts when you start playing at 16 now that you can play 20 years at the top level,’ Robert Lewandowski told The Times last month. ‘It is not his fault how the world looks at him but it is so intense. Even five per cent less (of feeling) means you can’t handle it.’

Yamal has the talent of a giant but he is naïve in so many other aspects. He needs looking after.

Barcelona’s brilliant Lamine Yamal is sparking concerns about the way he is managed

Why we should all cheer for Hearts 

What a joy it was to watch the scenes at Tynecastle, a maroon-and-white explosion of glee at the final whistle as Hearts moved eight points clear of Celtic. Tony Bloom might be a minority owner but the influence he has had already is colossal.

Everything feels right about Hearts: their recruitment has been excellent and put the Glasgow clubs to shame, Derek McInnes is a fine manager (quite why Rangers never attempted to recruit him is baffling) and their passionate fans have belief.

This view won’t be agreed with in Glasgow but we should all be wanting Hearts to see the job through, in the same there was unanimous support for Bayer Leverkusen two years ago when they brought Bayern Munich to their knees. Football needs fresh stories, let Hearts write with passion.

Lampard’s outscoring Arsenal 

Frank Lampard was bereft when Coventry lost the play-off semi-finals to Sunderland in May and the emotional toll it took was huge.

It could have led to an enormous hangover but it is a credit to his managerial skills that he has picked the club up again and driven them forward.

Lampard knows the road ahead is long and he isn’t getting carried away but what a start this has been for Coventry, who remain unbeaten at the top of the Championship after 12 games following Saturday’s 3-1 dismissal of Watford.

They have scored 34 goals so far: more than Arsenal and Bournemouth, the Premier League’s leading two, combined.

Frank Lampard’s Coventry City have scored 34 goals in an excellent season so far

Horoscope madness at Hillsborough 

Joy unconfined at Hillsborough as the despised reign of Dejphon Chansiri ended. There may have been a 2-1 defeat to Oxford and the chances of avoiding relegation are slim but, occasionally, short term pain is worth it to get rid of a colossal headache.

Chansiri had nine managers in his 10 years at the club and his methods were – how can we say – unconventional. Though it never influenced his final decision in making appointments, he liked to look at the birth details of applicants and where they sat in the Chinese horoscope.

It was, this column understands from someone familiar with the process, explained as nothing more than a cultural interest but in a world as ruthless as football, such stories simply added to the feeling that Wednesday was a poorly run club. Results backed that up.

Emery’s Elliott foreshadowing moment

It feels like a corner has been turned at Aston Villa, with their 1-0 win over Manchester City a huge shot in the arm. Those who known Unai Emery will tell you he is too committed, too ferocious in his appetite to work and too bloody-minded to ever accept permanent decline in standards.

Still, he makes decisions that are open to be questioned and it increasingly perplexing how he is handling Harvey Elliott, the England Under-21 international whom Villa recruited on loan from Liverpool on the final day of the summer window.

‘In the squad we needed one player to take out but I decided him,’ said Emery, explaining why Elliott was in the stands as Villa blew a hole in City’s title aspirations. ‘I am happy with him, he’s training well. His commitment is fantastic, he’s a good guy. It was a tactical decision.’

Emery made ears prick up when, during a wretched 1-1 draw with Sunderland on September 28, the only player he name checked in the misery was Elliott. Since arriving in the Midlands, Elliott has played just 167 minutes and nothing since October 2. This move is not working as it should be.

It increasingly perplexing how Unai Emery is handling Harvey Elliott at Aston Villa

Celebration or calamity for Arsenal

There will be no excuses this time. Arsenal have control of the title race and, given the advantage they have built up, it feels like we are watching a Grand Prix when Max Verstappen’s Red Bull car was in total control. He would hit the front, stretch away and the race would be over.

With Liverpool making you think they will do well simply to finish in the top four and Manchester City unconvincing, for all that Erling Haaland is formidable, it would be a calamity if Arsenal don’t do the job from here. Mikel Arteta called his team the best in Europe last season. Let’s see if he’s right.