Liverpool boss uses Newcastle as example for cautionary tale as Reds sit atop the Premier League

Liverpool currently occupy top spot in the Premier League after this weekend's fixtures but new boss Arne Slot isn't getting carried away just yet.

There was a big concern that whoever followed Jurgen Klopp in the Liverpool hot seat would struggle to live up to the legacy he left behind (not the one of him being an insufferable whingebag, but the actual footballing legacy).

Former Feyenoord boss Arne Slot was handed the responsibility and the Dutchman is making it look easy right now, however, despite his side sitting at top of the league, he's not letting himself get carried away.

Slot knows there's a lot of football to go this season, and not just in the Premier League as he pointed to Newcastle United's fall from grace last season as an example.

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Arne Slot is mindful that the Champions League fixtures can derail a Premier League season

Newcastle returned the Champions League for the first time in 20 years after securing a top four finish in Eddie Howe's first full season in charge, but were not able to replicate the feat the following season and failed to qualify for any European competition.

The Magpies were hit by injury after injury all season and the extra fixtures brought about by competing in the Champions League was a big factor in the drop off in quality last season.

That's something that Slot is mindful of, telling the media (via The Chronicle) that he's fully aware that the extra fixtures pose a whole new challenge.

Liverpool have learned lessons from Newcastle, but have we?

"This is in my opinion our biggest test, to play Champions League and Premier League; the hardest games three days in a row.

"That's what Manchester City did last season, that's what Arsenal did - both of these clubs did this for two years in a row now. You saw two years ago how difficult that was for us and you saw last season how difficult it was for Manchester United and Newcastle to be involved in the Champions League and Premier League.

"That is for me the test we have to go through to see if we can stay or be where we are now."

It's great that other teams have learned lessons from our season, but we need to be sure that we have learned from that season should we manage to quality for European competition again.