Arne Slot adds to Arsenal’s misery following their loss to Newcastle, saying, “It feels special.”

Liverpool took the lead in the Premier League on Saturday by defeating Brighton, as rivals Manchester City and Arsenal both suffered losses.

Arne Slot admitted that Liverpool’s comeback win over Brighton was made even more satisfying by City and Arsenal’s defeats. Liverpool rallied from a 1-0 deficit to beat the Seagulls 2-1, with goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah. This marked their second victory over Brighton within four days, following a 3-2 Carabao Cup win.

The victory, built on Slot’s tactical adjustments, continued his impressive start at Anfield, securing an eighth win in 10 Premier League games. Liverpool now sit two points ahead of defending champions City and seven clear of Arsenal, who are in fourth place behind Nottingham Forest.

City’s 2-1 loss to Bournemouth ended their 32-game Premier League unbeaten streak, while Arsenal fell 1-0 to Newcastle in an earlier match. Slot, unlike many managers, acknowledged his rivals’ results on Match of the Day, admitting, “It feels special because we faced Arsenal last week. They are a tough side with a clear game vision, and we saw similar quality in City today. Facing two top teams in close succession and coming from behind to secure results makes today particularly rewarding.”

In his post-match press conference, Slot was more restrained. When asked if he saw an opportunity after Saturday’s results, he said, “No, not simply because they (Arsenal and City) lost. What I do value is that last week, twice we fell behind to Arsenal, and twice we fought back. And today, after trailing 1-0 at halftime, we showed real strength to come back against a quality team with top players and managers. That resilience gives me confidence for the season.”

Slot cautioned, however, “I reminded the players that 45 minutes like our first half will cost us eventually. We need to show up from the start.”

Looking ahead, Slot and Liverpool prepare for a Champions League clash against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, followed by a tough Premier League fixture against Aston Villa.