Liverpool have taken early control of the Premier League title race, but Alexis Mac Allister says he didn’t think they would be contenders at the start of the season.

Arne Slot’s side beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield after reigning champions Manchester City had earlier slipped up 2-1 at Brighton.

The results gave Liverpool a five-point lead at the top over Pep Guardiola’s men, who have now lost four successive games.

Liverpool are only the sixth team in the Premier League’s 33 seasons to be at least five points clear after 11 games. The other five – including Liverpool in 2019-20 – went on to win the league.

“If we are top of the league by five points then it means something,” said Mac Allister.

“But we have to go step by step. If you asked me before the season started I would not say we were candidates, but now it looks like [we are].”

Records have tumbled under Slot, who replaced Jurgen Klopp in the summer, as his excellent start at Anfield continued with a ninth Premier League win in 11 games and 15 from 17 overall.

But the Dutch boss was wisely managing expectations as he added: “We are really happy that most of our players have stayed fit through this tough run.

“If I look at the games that are ahead, they are tough. It will be a tough season in general. Margins are small, we have a margin but it is small.

“There are many challenges to come for us.”

The other teams who had at least a five-point advantage at the same stage of the season were Man City (eight points clear in 2017-18, and five clear in 2011-12), Chelsea (six clear in 2005-06) and Manchester United (seven clear in 1993-94).